DVMR: The Outtakes
by Sare Liz
Summary: Here are the outtakes from 'The Day The Earth Stood Still'.
1. Adonis in the Gymnasium

**Title:** Adonis in the Gymnasium  
**Author:** Sare Liz  
**Series:** Daily Vampire Mating Ritual  
**Continuity:** The Day The Earth Stood Still (outtake)  
*******

**Disclaimer: **Nope, not original characters. Belongs to S. Meyer, et al.  
**Beta:** Bless Colleen P. for putting up with me and my antic. And my histrionics.  
**Author's Note:** I really try not to do outtakes on purpose. But these scenes _**existed**_, and they just didn't fit into the flow of the story...

This outtake takes place the Monday after Book 2, Chapter 1: His Cake. EPOV, naturally.

***

There was no time to do something like the present. Alice had smirked at me as I decided this, on our way to the gymnasium I wasn't able to hear her or see the vision she caught as I was in Bella's head, but I could imagine fairly well what it was. After all, I knew what I had just decided to do.

As of Bella's second day of school, I had yet to attend a gym class while not happily and securely within her head, and necessarily out of everyone else's. It was an arrangement generally preferable to the eighty-seven year alternative with which I had been working.

Yet today, and perhaps tomorrow, I will break that trend and for good reason - my one hundred and fifth birthday present, or as Bella likes to call it, my Adonis' Belt. We are both curious as to what our peers will make of it, if anything.

I will admit that this venture appeals to the braggart within, more so than any non-existent sense of exhibitionism. Beyond the crest she wears on her wrist, which I am sure is both common knowledge and old news at this point, there is no thing, no item visible upon our persons that would obviously indicate our attachment to one another, or the permanent nature of that arrangement. I had my promise ring, the Swan Signet, and she her hidden engagement ring, but there was nothing else - such as, oh, I don't know - wedding bands appropriately placed. I knew and understood the need for discretion, I even accepted it, but that didn't mean I had to like it. And like it I certainly did not.

So I chose a place in the middle of the locker room instead of off to the side as I usually did. I walked in and begun changing while everyone else was half-way through the process, thus making it more difficult for their natural instinct to get away from me to have sway over their actions.

Five boys noted the change in my actions.

I set my academic things in an empty locker, my journal and pen, and my exercise things as well, having retrieved my lock, shorts, socks, shoes and shirt from my usual locker across the room. I quickly took my shirt off and hung it in the locker. I took my loafers and socks off next, putting them in the bottom of the short locker. I took my trousers off quickly and hung them as well. Then I adjusted the chain around my waist, subtly bringing attention to it.

What I would give in this moment for Emmett to be in here. He would have loved this game I was playing, and would have insisted on his own role. I could imagine it so clearly.

Emmett would smirk.

Emmett would snort, a shit-eating grin on his face.

Emmett would clap me on the shoulder and say something sensational, risque, and borderline objectionable. I couldn't actually imagine what it would be, as he always surprised me in such moments with what he thought up, with what actually came out of his mouth, but I have no doubt it would have been perfect and it would have perfectly fed the raging braggart within me that wanted the world to know how incredibly wonderful Bella was, how much we loved one another, and how dedicated we were to the other.

It was not a nice side of me I was airing today, but I saw no reason for Bella to know of it. I was as sure that if she noticed it within the next several hundred years, she would either forgive me or help me to balance myself out. Either way, I wasn't worried. Neither was I ready to share my motivation, however. That was between God, myself, and Jasper.

Ah, if Emmett were here... He could have been relied upon to call attention to my birthday present with the proper level of sexual innuendo, if not blatant reference to our very active sex life. I could imagine him tugging very lightly on the chain from behind and me threatening quite audibly - though with a grin - to tear his arm off and hide it if he breaks the chain. It would be a viable threat, as I could run significantly faster than he could. And Emmett would respond, undaunted as always, with some reference to Bella having purchased it for me. Ah, if Emmett were here...

But it does not do to dwell on the impossible.

I finished adjusting the chain and stood sideways to the half-locker so the chain and lock would be more visible to a greater proportion of the people in the locker room.

At this point is was not entirely quiet in the room, but everyone in the large open middle area where I stood at my new locker had fallen quiet.

Two boys were fantasizing about licking my stomach. Three were jealous of my physique. Two more were fantasizing about being part of a group sex scenario; one with Rosalie and I, one with Bella and I. Six of the boys, including all four who were fantasizing, noticed quite particularly the chain, though no one guessed correctly at its nature or origin.

I began slowly folding my clothes, clad only in my signet ring, belt, and light blue boxer briefs. No one moved in any significant fashion in my portion of the room.

By the time I folded my shirt, everyone in my vicinity had noticed the belt. Two had guessed that it was a gift from Bella. By the time I had finished folding up my trousers news had spread to the rest of the locker room and there was widespread speculation about the level of kink employed by Bella and I. I smirked. They had no idea how deliciously kinky Bella was.

With great reluctance I put my gym shorts on. Then a stroke of genius. I rearranged the belt so that four inches of the chain along with the lock draped over the waistband of my shorts. Then I got up, stretched, paused as if to think, and meandered - sauntered, one might say - over to the drinking fountain. I let the water wet my lips as I grinned at my own amusing antics. I wish Bella could be here to watch my vanity. I think it would amuse her, as well. It certainly had amused Alice.

As I started to imagine Bella, I knew that the vibe I was sending out was changing. I could hear it in the thoughts of the boys.

Six boys who were shocked at their own thoughts wanted to perform fellatio on me. The two who were already reasonably secure and aware of their sexuality had moved on in their fantasies. One wanted to penetrate me, the other to be penetrated. Two boys who were as shocked at the six found themselves wondering how my lips tasted, and if I possibly was interested in experimenting, sexually.

It had never been this bad, before now.

I smirked. Then again, I had never before intentionally put myself on display while mostly naked and thinking of my mate. If Carlisle were ever to do such a thing in the doctor's locker room I hate to think of what might happen. Some of his colleagues didn't have the healthiest cardiovascular system.

I wondered what would happen if...

I adjusted my cock as I walked by a group of boys, back to my locker, my hand lingering as I groaned almost - but not quite - inaudibly, _"Bella."_

Instantly in four, then six, then ten of the boys' minds there were the most graphic images; ten different images of Bella and I having sex.

Bella performing fellatio while wearing a cheerleader's outfit.

Myself fucking Bella on the hood of my Aston Martin in the dress she wore to prom.

Bella and I having sex in the backseat of a car I did not recognize.

Bella and I having sex on a twin bed in a room I did not recognize - but one that was filled with Mariners and Seahawks sports paraphernalia.

Two boys imagined me fucking Bella against lockers in the school. I wondered if they'd seen us after prom.

Up against a brick wall at the back of a bar, or possibly a restaurant.

From behind, with Bella bent over in the shower room next door.

On a shabby couch in a room I did not recognize.

In a kitchen I did not recognize, Bella bent over the countertop.

Each of the ten fantasies was intricately detailed and rendered in full sound and color. Details were wrong, of course, but their collective impact on me was not diminished for the inconsistency to reality. It was so shocking I almost stumbled. I was instantly hard. I swallowed my groan and quickly put my shirt on, leaving it untucked and blessing the dual facts that it was not skin tight and that it was long enough to cover most of my erection, which I then did honestly need to adjust.

Six new fantasies.

God, I wanted Bella.

I debated whether or not to continue listening in. I decided to make as thorough of a job of it as I could.

Three boys continued to fantasize about Bella and I on and off for the entire hour. One of the boys in an attempt to cozy up to Lauren Mallory told her of the incident in the locker room. I was amused at how much he edited out. He had noticed his neighbor become erect while looking at me, and he himself had been quite perceptive about the unresolved sexual tension in that room. Still, now that Lauren knew, the rest of the school would know by the end of lunch.

I wondered if I should stay out of Bella's head for the rest of the day. I wondered if it would be worth the sacrifice. It would certainly feed my ego. Bella might find it amusing, particularly given the possessive streak that I found so endearing, adorable, and stunningly sexy.

I relayed the tale to her and the family at lunch, including the statistical analysis of reactions, both in the locker room and during gym class, accounting for the variables of time from event, gender, preference, and internal peace with said preference. Rosalie reminded me that I hadn't accounted for the variation of whether Bella was admired or held in contempt by the individual in question. I conceded her point, but hearing it stated to blatantly raised my ire - not against Rosalie, but Lauren Mallory and her ilk. I had the strongest and strangest urge to rip her hair out, which she considered one of her greatest assets. Also, I wanted to rip her tongue out of her head and crush her eyeballs while still in her sockets. It was odd, as I had never paid much attention to her, but the thought that anyone held my beloved in contempt was enough to make the darkest part of my nature flare up. I was not, however, ruled by the darkest part of my nature, so instead of doing these things, I gently embraced Bella and contemplated our love.

I watched as she shook her head as if to clear it. She turned and gave me a look, one part knowing, one part incredulous, two parts aroused. In the din of the cafeteria and the ongoing conversation of our family I could only just barely hear the whisper of her mind, and not too clearly. Perhaps it was one of those moments where she was seeming to keep her thoughts from me, without actually closing her mind entirely, but then again, perhaps she just wasn't thinking anything in specific. But I was willing to bet she'd just figured out--

"You're not inside, are you?" She didn't wait for my answer, but leaned in, burying her nose in my neck, bracing her hand on the other side of my neck. I put one arm around her waist to help stabilize her, whatever she was attempting. Bella took a deep breath and her fingers spasmed against my neck, her nails scratching across my skin. Our groan was mutual and simultaneous. The burn was negligible. The erection was back. I doubted my ability to make love to her in this state, three days out from having fed, but I was perfectly in control just now with our present level of intimacy.

_**Oh my God, Edward! You know what your scent does to me when you're**__** like this! Did you think I wasn't serious?!?**_

Bella was yelling at me in her head, even as she remained right where she was, nose buried against my skin, taking one deep breath after another. I smiled the smile of the deeply self-satisfied and put my free hand in her hair, holding her head to my neck. I angled my head so she had more room.

"You should eat, love," I said, trying half-heartedly to redirect her.

Silly me. I gasped softly when she started licking me.

"Yummy," she breathed out against my skin before returning to her licking. Thank heavens she hadn't started in with her teeth yet. I wasn't sure what I would do if she did. And really, it was just a matter of time. And I was hard-pressed to care...

"Yes, yes," Emmett said, interrupting us, though Bella continued without stop, as if she hadn't heard. At least he had a part of our attention. "You two are ready to have sex. How very surprising. But you have bigger fish to fry, here children. How is it that half the junior boys have seen your birthday present and we haven't? Hardly seems fair, Eddy-boy. Come on. Fork it over. I wanna see it."

"Bella has the key. If you want to see it, you'll have to ask her," I responded in a normal tone, despite what pleasures Bella was evoking within me, via my neck.

"Good luck with getting her attention," Rosalie muttered.

I saw what Emmett had planned.

"That won't make her more amenable to agreeing to anything you ask," I point out, knowing that Alice was waiting for me to do so.

"What do you suggest?" he asked.

"Culinary bribery," Alice said.

I had to admit, it was a good one. Emmett had finally found his calling in the family - chef - and according to Bella and Jacob, he was phenomenal. He'd even come over and cooked for Charlie once.

"Come on, Bella; I'll make you a masterpiece tomorrow night. You can ride the Edward Express to your heart's content in just two more hours. Give us a break and show us what you got Edward. We're dying of curiosity here, Bells."

Bella whined, clearly weighing her options. I gave Emmett a significant look.

"Peach cobbler, Bella. I'll go to Seattle to get the peaches, Bells. Plus your two favorite ice cream flavors. And hor d'oeuvres. Little itty-bitty ones that Edward can feed you by hand. I'll deliver them to your room an hour before dinner."

Bella moaned.

"Thursday, too."

Bella threw her head back, her fingernails still resting sharply against my skin. She panted, and I kept my tight hold on her. "What does he want?" Bella's voice was the same breathy cum bunny voice I so adored.

I purred.

"Not helping," Jasper growled at me. I ignored him.

"Emmett is offering to amaze and astound your taste buds if only you'll unlock my belt so they can see it. They're curious."

Bella shook her head and sat back, trying to disengage, but I kept my arm loosely around her waist. She licked her lips and my cock twitched. "Sure," she said, reaching for the key tucked in the cuff on her left forearm.

When Bella went digging for the lock, I groaned. She didn't need to go quite as far past my waistband as she was, and she knew it. She'd mentioned this past weekend that given how I smelled when I was outside of her head and feeling hungry in any capacity, she'd want to go down on me in the cafeteria. I wasn't sure that was the best idea, but I was all for having her lips around my cock sometime very, very soon.

I wish the Volvo had tinted windows.

No. We could wait. We would have two hours before Charlie came home. There was plenty of time for her to coax an orgasm of mine onto her tongue before we started dinner.

Bella unlocked the belt, tucked the key away, and then with agonizing slowness and no small amount of drama, pulled the chain from around my waist, hand over hand, letting the excess pool and fall over my erection. Her gaze never left mine as this occurred. Staring into Bella's eyes, it was too hard to ignore my family and their very loud thoughts. As a point of interest, most of the cafeteria was watching this new "Edward in Chains" episode of Forks High Dinner Theatre and their minds were raging with curiosity and fantasy, adults and teenagers alike. It was a relentless noise I would have liked to escape from, but if I went back into Bella's head nothing short of driving away from her this evening was going to pry me out of it again.

Bella handed the chain belt over to Jasper who sat next to her. Then she leaned into me and proceeded to pet my cock through the fabric of my trousers. I hugged her close to my side, angling my body towards her. I lasted as long as I could.

"Bella," I whispered, trying to keep the groan from my voice. "It's getting overwhelming. The voices, and... everything. I need... I want--" I cut off, embarrassed to expose my weakness to the family. For eighty-seven years I had been strong enough to withstand the mind-breaking cacophony without a single moment of reprieve. Only now, now I didn't _have_ to. I was weak to crave the solace of her mind every time I was near enough to enjoy it, but crave it I did.

But Bella and I had agreed to this experiment and since it wasn't a matter of Bella's personal safety, it just seemed so wrong to be in her presence, yet be in her head without her permission or knowledge. Lord knows I'd done it before, but the closer we became as lovers and friends, the less I wanted to keep from her, the more I respected every gift she gave me - her mind in the foremost four. I wanted to keep it as a gift that was freely given, and never stolen.

Her reply came without any hesitation on her part. Her head turned toward me and our lips touched as she spoke, her voice a quiet murmur. "You never have to ask, baby."

I shuddered in relief and arousal as I sank into the soft, enveloping folds of her mind. All was silent.

My lips parted as I reached out to trace her lips with my tongue. Bella only smiled, enjoying my attentions to her. She kept lightly stroking me through my trousers.

"Sexy as shit, man," Emmett declared, the belt having quickly gone around the table and ending in a platinum heap next to our tray. "Good job, Bella."

That's my bunny, I thought.

"Thanks," Bella responded, blushing slightly, looking toward our family. Her hand rested on my upper thigh.

"Bella," I called softly. Her eyes met mine before I continued. "I need my belt back on, please." And I see no reason for it to come off again. Ever.

A human could have heard a pin drop in the cafeteria as Bella efficiently chained me in my Adonis' Belt. I simply smiled and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. When she was finished I shifted, straddling the bench we were sitting on together, and scooting close. I wrapped my arms around Bella's waist and murmured in her ear. "Please eat something, Bella," I asked sweetly.

_I do need to keep my strength up. I fully intend on playing with your cock after school. If you feel the need to reciprocate, you may do so later in the evening._

I smiled at my love, though she could not see me. "You'll find no argument from this quarter, love."

***

**End Note:** Please note that DESS has been nominated in three categories for the Indie TwiFic Awards, so go vote! www(dot)theindietwificawards(dot)com. Also - my harddrive recently crashed and so all that I had written in advance has gone the way of the dodo. Be patient with me as I play catch up... And come play on the Twilighted discussion thread!


	2. Anything At All

**Title:** Anything At All  
**Author:** Sare Liz  
**Series:** Daily Vampire Mating Ritual  
**Continuity:** The Day The Earth Stood Still (outtake)

**Disclaimer: **Nope, not original characters. Belongs to S. Meyer, et al.  
**Beta:** Bless Colleen P. for putting up with me and my antics. And my histrionics.  
**Author's Note:** I really try not to do outtakes on purpose. But these scenes _**existed**_, and they just didn't fit into the flow of the story...

This outtake takes place the Monday after Book 2, Chapter 1: His Cake. An Alternate POV.

***

I heard it from Jason who heard it from Jack who heard it from Margaret who overheard it from that junior, Lauren Mallory who heard it from some other junior boy, the both of whom have fourth period gym with Edward Cullen. The fucked up quotient of the Cullen Family has just risen a notch, apparently. Not only is everyone in that house fucking everyone else, _now_ Chief Swan's daughter Isabella, the new girl, who very clearly has been fucking Edward Cullen since she first arrived after the new year, now Isabella's in it all, too. God only knows if she arrived this fucked up, or if it was Edward and that family who corrupted her. Lord knows I was never like that at seventeen.

I guess they're good kids all in all; don't eat much, but if they're on the special diets they proclaim, why bother buying the food here? Not that they don't have money to burn and more. I've seen some of the cars that doctor father of theirs lets them drive. Insane. A good doctor, to be certain, but insanely lenient when it comes to his kids. But aren't we all?

Just the other week that Justine Jones was rationalizing the vandalism that her Jimmy was caught in the middle of doing, but there's no explaining away a thirteen year old boy spray painting 'fuck the world' on the side of the Cash-and-Carry. Where he even hears that language, I'd like to know.

It's clear those Cullen children are just biding their time. I may be in the cafeteria all day, but the faculty talks with the staff and grades aren't such closed information, here. Apparently the only thing they don't excel in is gym class, which I find rather difficult to believe, really. Anyone with eyes in their head can see as plain as the nose on their face that those children are each one of them as graceful as gazelles and twice as strong. The only reason for them not to have all sorts of recruiters descending on our little town is because they don't want it. Maybe they're just snobs, and don't give sports their due. I've certainly never seen them at the high school football games, and everyone in town comes out to at least one in the season.

Dear God in Heaven, she's smelling him now. It looks like she's about to devour the boy. I really should go over there. I should give them a warning. The last time, months ago, they caught me off my guard, and I should have given them a detention. A little peck on the cheek is one thing, but the way that boy was kissing her was something straight out of a porn flick.

Not that I've ever watched one of those dirty things. But I imagine it would be. Or maybe, just one of those heavy-duty romance novels, the ones that don't skip over the good parts. Those, I've read. Yes, that was precisely the way Edward Cullen was kissing Isabella Swan that day - like he was about to take her virginity on top of the lunch table, audience be damned.

And I do admit a bit of a double standard. Had it been anyone else, I would have marched right over there and written out a detention slip for conduct unbecoming a student in school, specifically, an inappropriate public display of affection. Had it been Geoffrey, the captain and quarterback of the football team, or Craig the senior who got the lead in the musical this year, or Tim my good friend Darla's boy, or any one of the other kids around here, I would have marched right over and put an end to it. But I will admit a bit of a soft spot for the youngest Cullen boy. He's about as handsome as can be and off the charts intelligent, just like the rest of them, but he's every bit as melancholy as he is handsome, and there's no other way to put it. I've watched him on and off for the last two years, and there's no better word for it. Melancholy. Not quite as pained as the middle boy, true, but at least the middle boy has his sister-girlfriend to console him. That poor Edward boy has had a hard time connecting, and I don't wonder. The only girls who aren't completely intimidated by him aren't worth his effort, anyone can see that.

I'd always thought that college would be easier for him, and wondered along with the rest of the faculty and staff why their parents didn't just go for an early enrollment, but I guess I see the merits of age appropriate places to be. I imagine it would be pretty hard to be a freshman in college at fifteen. He might be just as uncomfortable, but for different reasons, then. Maybe college won't be much better, no matter what age he is.

Then again, if he goes to the same school that Isabella Swan ends up going to, if she goes to college, I think he might do fine.

Truth be told, that day in early spring that he laid one on her, the only thing I could think of was how relieved I was for the boy. Couldn't have been more relieved that he'd found a nice girl if he'd been my own child. I will admit that I'd been keeping an eye on the interaction between the two of them since they'd come into the cafeteria that day. It was just so shocking that he was showing interest in anyone, interest enough to pursue, which obviously was going to be necessary in the case of the Chief's daughter - that girl seems to keep to herself every bit as much as her father does, her present company excluded - well, even so. I don't notice her talking to Edward much, but they are obviously in their own little world that clearly doesn't require words.

I was keeping an eye on her, and watched her sit with the Cullens and Hales - and the first time anyone had done so in the year and a half the family had been here, too. At one point, I remember, she seemed very upset about something, and don't you know, in that moment I saw Edward Cullen display more emotion that I think I ever have. That boy was on her like butter on bread, about as contrite and sweet as can be. Then he proceeded to kiss the socks right off that girl.

Damn if I didn't wish I was thirty years younger and in her shoes, just for a minute.

But mostly I just stared, just like everybody else in this place, even though it was my job to go and give them a stern talking to. I just stared, and wondered where he learned to kiss like that. By the time they got to the swapping spit portion of the kiss, you could have heard a pin drop in this place.

And damn if it wasn't like that again, today.

There was clearly some kind of banter going on at that table, and the end result of it was the Chief's daughter removing a key - a key! - from that cuff on her arm and _unlocking a chain from around that boy's waist!_

You could have blown me over with a feather.

I never would have guess she was into that kind of stuff. But she of anyone in this town would have access to handcuffs, so you never know. It's the quiet ones, they say.

The whole damn cafeteria watched that length of chain get passed around the table while Cullen Jr. and Swan cuddled like puppies. Then she put it back on him and tucked it in. I swear there was a collective gasp when we all heard the lock click shut again.

My first thought was to wonder what kind of kinky shit they engaged in in the bedroom - or the back of his car, or wherever - but if I'm honest I had a reaction before the thought that was pure envy. I couldn't decide which I wanted to be more, the girl next to him or the chain around his waist.

I know I should have marched myself over there and given them a stern talking to, but I couldn't for the life of me move an inch. And hasn't that poor boy had enough? Doesn't that family get enough shit from all of us?

Well, I say so, and the Chief isn't going to hear about this from me, though Lord knows there are enough eyes in here. Still, I don't think any of the ladies in the kitchen saw, and if someone overhears the students talking, I've got my story straight: I didn't see anything.

I didn't see anything at all.

***

**End Note: ** DESS has succeeded to the final round at the Indie TwiFic Awards, so please go and vote! www (dot)theindietwificawards (dot)com. You'll find DESS up for 'Best Undiscovered Erotica, WIP' and 'Best Alternate Universe, Complete' (think: Book One).


	3. Post Prom Party

**Title**: Post Prom Party  
**Author**: Sare Liz  
**Series: **Daily Vampire Mating Ritual  
**Continuity**: The Day The Earth Stood Still (outtake)  
**Rating**: M.

***

**Disclaimer**: The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Beta:** Colleen P., wonderful. Outtake: Post Prom Party  
**Author's Note: ** :)

***

Carlisle would not approve of this behavior. Not that Carlisle was anti-sex by any means, but I wasn't sure he was entirely pro-public sex, either.

Not that I was having sex with Bella at high noon with no cloud cover on a park bench in the middle of town...

Honestly, I think this might be my last hurrah. No more high school. After next year, I'm done for the foreseeable future. College is okay - graduate studies are better. Honestly, I enjoy learning, but I think I'll concentrate on my family and my music for the next forty or fifty years. Maybe more. I like the idea of that quite a lot, actually.

Perhaps Senioritis has finally hit. Yes, I'm a junior this year, but heaven knows I've been a senior often enough.

And so really I'm just reaching for the last, final dregs of high school experiences I'd never had before. Never have I ever... for instance... fucked the love of my life against a bank of lockers while prom begins to wind down. Nope. Never done it.

We're not known for our quickies, Bella and I. Quick is two hours on Charlie Swan's couch before he comes home from work. Quick is the entire lunch hour devoted to easing Bella's menstrual cramps the old fashioned way. Marathon sex is more our style, really. Still, there's a first for everything, and I was convinced now that it was an integral part of the high school experience. Bella didn't think much of that particular rationalization, but she was already amenable to the basic concept. She'd already fantasized about it, after all.

"How should we do this?" I asked, murmuring in her ear as I pushed her up against the lockers, my hands running up and down her torso.

As her fingers ran through my hair she gifted me with the most delightful vision. Bella's panties were in my pocket and her legs were wrapped around my waist. My trousers were undone, but still hung on my hips, partially held in place by her legs. I had one hand supporting her rear so she could relax, and one hand behind her head to act as a cushion between herself and the metal locker. My hand wasn't softer than the locker of course, but it did take on the contours of her head, which the locker wouldn't without effort. My vest and dress shirt hung open and my tie as well dangled from around my neck. We were connected at the lips and the hips. Bella's modesty, if not her virtue, were completely covered.

I made it happen.

The first thrust to the accompaniment of our heartfelt groans was bliss. Sinking deep inside Bella's wet heat was the physical counterpart of being wrapped in her mind. I held myself still and silent, embedded deeply and enjoying the sensation of Bella's muscles rippling gently around my shaft. Even though I knew we needed to be quick - we needed to finish faster than we'd ever done - I really did wish, as I always did, that we could just dwell in this moment forever.

But quickly I turned my mind to the matter at hand; Bella's orgasm. She liked it when I was explicit in my speech, so with a thumb on her clitoris and the other hand supporting her form, I thrust inside of her steadily. Her head was no longer protected against the locker, but I leaned in and sucked her earlobe into my mouth and with gentle pressure managed to convince her to rest her head on my shoulder.

"So beautiful is my love. My love, my lover, my life, my light," I chanted as I thrust into her. "Your mind is my sanctuary, your heart is my home, and your body..." I groaned. "Pure inspiration. Soft and sweet. Warm and wet. I love you so much, Bella. I'm so grateful for everything you give me." I thrust sharply then. "Especially right now, I'm grateful for your _pussy_.

"Hot, sopping wet, and so strong, baby you squeeze my cock so well. Come summer time we're just going to eat and sleep and fuck as long as you like, sweetheart," I said in a whisper against her ear. I felt her shudder. "Use those muscles on me, baby."

When Bella used her Kegal muscles she typically came faster, but then again, when she used them I typically came faster, too.

I stifled a groan against her neck as I felt her squeeze down on me, the finesse she'd gained in their use over the last few months all but abandoned as she slammed down on me deliciously hard from within.

_Harder, Edward,_ she thought, and it was the first cogent and clear thought she'd had since she'd answered my question about logistics. Her mind, it seemed, was having difficulty remaining focused.

She anchored herself more securely to my shoulders as I picked up the pace. I trusted that I would be the first to know if things got too uncomfortable for her, against the row of metal doors.

I could tell she was trying to be quiet, and while I understood, I didn't appreciate it as much as perhaps I ought to have done. It wasn't the time or place, but I wanted to hear her scream. I contented myself with the sound of her harsh breath against my neck and the little moans that escaped her throat every time she met my thrust with a roll of her hips.

I was officially lost in my own little world of Bella, and what cognitive ability I had revisited the place it always seemed to these days. Even as I could feel Bella approach her orgasm, even as I licked her neck in preparation to take a taste that would send me spiraling into my own, even as I stood, fucking her up against a bank of lockers while prom was winding down several buildings away, I stood in awe that one day in the not too distant future Bella and I would be making love and we would conceive. That Bella would be the mother of my children was the most wonderful, astounding and awe-inspiring notion on earth.

I could so clearly see myself gently taking Bella from behind as the months progressed during her pregnancy. I could see it; a child curled up on her naked chest, while I held the other in my arms next to her on our bed. I could see it; holding the twins between us as we kissed gently, gingerly.

I came growling into her neck with her blood on my tongue, her own orgasm squeezing my cock, and her mind wrapped around me - incoherent but full of adoration without language.

I was still hard, but not painfully so, when I reached around me and gently coaxed her legs from around my hip, still helping her to stand. A post-sex Bella had worse balance than normal.

It was as I was about to pull out of her that I heard the throat clear behind me. Almost simultaneously I heard Bella's thoughts on the subject.

_Fuck! So much for your __**excellent hearing, **__Edward__! Oh, shit!__ This is so embarrassing. Oh my God, what if this gets back to Charlie?_

I tried to sooth my love as I rearranged her skirt. I tucked myself back into my pants and zipped them up, but left the top button undone. Then I concentrated very, very hard. Still in Bella's head, I reached out with all of my force of concentration and sought out the mind behind us.

It was Senora Goff.

I knew several things about this situation were in my favor. I knew that my shirt was hanging wide open, revealing a wide swath of my chest. I knew the button of my pants was still undone, as was my belt - this made my trousers sag somewhat low on my hips. I knew that I'd left the chain and locket outside of my trousers, visible in the dim light. I knew what I looked like after an orgasm induced by Bella's blood. I knew that la Senora had always thought I was very, very pretty.

She was busy right now thinking that I was very pretty, and that Bella Swan was the luckiest bitch on earth.

I pulled said lucky bitch out from behind me and put my arm around her shoulder, tucking her up tightly to my side.

"Buenas noches, Senora Goff," I said in my lowest register, my most reasonable tone as I stared her in the eye. I decided to go with the Argentinean accent. I'd always thought it was the most seductive, with the subtle Italian cadence.

The thoughts came fast and furious.

_You are __**not**__ about to have this conversation in Spanish! _screamed Bella. _I want to know what's going on! God! Can this get worse?? Edward! I hope you have something up your sleeve, because I'm at a loss over here!!_

_Dios mio, he's... he's... had sex with her... and... no, no... Yes. Oh, God, yes! He looks like he's already up for round two! But I heard him growling. Growling. Oh, God, Edward growls when he comes. I can't wait to tell Patty. Oh, shit. Oh, God. I'm so wet. I would so do it, right now, right here. All he'd have to do is ask. But Bella..._

I decided to cut that line of thinking off right there.

"Senora Goff -- Sandra. May I call you _Sandra?" _ She nodded dumbly.

_**Edward**__. I know that tone, Edward. Don't mess with her too much, baby, _thought Bella, taking a tone herself, albeit a wary one. _We still have a year and a month to go of Forks High._

_Call me Sandra! Scream it!_ And then I was treated to an impromptu fantasy whereupon I took _Sandra_ from behind as she was bent nearly in half with her hands braced on the lockers. In this fantasy, Bella looked on with her arms crossed, bored, I was wildly passionate, and in between spanking her, slamming my cock into her body, and growling, I was in fact, screaming her first name.

Oh, I don't think so, Sandra.

I almost wanted to fuck Bella in front of her, just to spite her. I continued on with Plan A instead.

"Well, _Sandra._ Bella and I - as you may already know - are _very deeply in love. _So much so that much of our attention, even though we're only finishing our Junior Year, _so very much_ of our attention is focused on our adult responsibilities, all those things ensure and secure our future happiness." This I said in my most reasonable tone, and very slowly, letting the words slip and slide around my mouth, building and weaving something like a hypnotists enchantment. But now I was about to really turn on the charm, something I rarely bothered to do.

"We work so hard, Sandra, _so hard. _Sometimes, we don't even feel like children. There's so much _responsibility,_ Sandra. It's such a weight," I said, and whispered the last phrase. I continued in my seductive whisper. "I just wanted to feel seventeen, Sandra. Haven't you wanted _to feel_ _seventeen, Sandra?"_

"Yes," she whispered.

"I knew you'd understand, Sandra," I whispered back, even more quietly than before. I spoke with just a tiny bit more volume now, though at the same deliciously slow pace. "And I know you realize what would happen to Bella's reputation if word of this got out. _I_ don't mind everyone knowing how devoted I am to my Bella. _I _want to yell it from the roof tops. She is _my life. I love her __**so**__ much. _Have you ever loved someone like that, Sandra?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"So you _know. You know how it __**is**__, Sandra. _You know how it is when the tension builds, mounting into luscious curves, growing, heaving, gasping. You know how it is when the tension bursts unwittingly, penetrating every part of you until you can't stand it any more, and then it continues, pushing you over the edge thrust by thrust by thrust until finally you break, with a scream." I licked my lips and watched her pant. She'd already come much closer, tiny step by tiny step. I licked my lips again and ran my finger tips up the edge of my open shirt, gasping a little as I intentionally caught my fingernail on my own nipple, exposing it to her.

"You know the tension, I know you do, Sandra. _I know you do. _You know the tension, and so do I. I couldn't take it, I confess. I had to have her. I had to have the love of my life. I had to _ease_ her tension. She had to ease _mine_. You know how beautiful it was, don't you, Sandra? You saw it. It was beautiful. _Beautiful._ My love thrusting and pushing and pulsing and pouring into my sweet, sweet Bella. Her love cradling and holding and suspending and accepting _all_ that there is of me. It was _beautiful, _wasn't it, Sandra?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"I know it was beautiful and you know it was beautiful, but some people... Some people, Sandra, through rumor, and gossip, and innuendo, would twist this beautiful thing into something dirty and ugly and disrespectful. They would say things that would demean my love, my Bella. They would dishonor her father, who has always been a good man and a fine role model for her. That would be wrong, wouldn't it be, Sandra?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"It would be wrong. We can't let it happen, Sandra. We can't let them talk about her like that, can we, Sandra?"

"No," she whispered.

"They would never understand the beauty we shared. Not like you. You understand, Sandra. We trust you. We trust you to be discrete. We trust you to say nothing about... this. Can we trust you to be discrete, Sandra? To keep this beautiful moment to yourself?"

"Yes," she whispered. She was only inches away from me. I was breathing on her now, when I spoke.

"I knew we could trust you, Sandra. You should go now. We'll be fine. Let the other chaperones know you've locked the building up tight. Nothing else will happen here that anyone needs to know."

She nodded.

"Good night, Sandra. Go."

We watched as she turned and slowly walked away. Bella didn't breathe until she heard the outside door click shut.

_Holy motherfucking shit on a shingle,__ Edward, _said Bella, when her mind clicked in again. _God, baby. Now! Now, right now!_ I was graced with the image of myself on my knees, the hem of Bella's dress rucked up about her hips. Her hands were in my hair, clutching my face to her delicious pussy and both of her legs were draped over my shoulders. My hands held her steady, pinned securely between the lockers and my tongue as it speared her.

That was her first orgasm.

She wanted her second orgasm from behind, as she bent over the water fountain. I groaned, thinking of how the change in her body's position would effect the sensations to which my cock would be subject.

And finally - oh, fuck - she wanted to be on her knees. She wanted my hand in the luscious curls that were piled on the top of her head. She wanted to scrape her teeth along my length as she - oh, fuck - as she took me deep into her throat, all the way in, letting her throat muscles massage my cock as she literally tried to swallow me whole. She wanted me to slice her finger and shoot into her mouth so she could savor my taste. She wanted to suck me off to the soundtrack of my groans and growls, to the chanted litany of her name, and she wanted our Spanish teacher to watch.

I wanted to put my foot down at the reintroduction of Plan B, but she was long gone, anyway. I didn't bother. I simply dropped to my knees before my love, realizing that Bella and I were incapable of having quickies.

***

**End Note:** We've decided. We'd prefer to have Oz read this to us, slowly (oh so slowly), than to have to read it ourselves... Do you agree?


	4. Charlie's Priorities

**Title**: Charlie's Priorities  
**Author**: Sare Liz  
**Series: **Daily Vampire Mating Ritual  
**Continuity**: The Day The Earth Stood Still (outtake)  
**Rating**: M.

***  
**Disclaimer**: The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Beta:** Colleen P., wonderful.  
**Author's Note: ** :) And now we hear from Forks' Chief of Police...

***

There's a lot that makes more sense, now.

I'd once found it impressive that he would go out of his way to provide a picnic, read her Shakespeare as a thank-you gesture, neither of which would have occurred to me to attempt for any woman in any situation. Now I come to realize that he's got some sort of photographic memory and in fact, has most of the classics memorized. I watched him just the other day recite, with full drama, something Jane Austin wrote for Bella as they laid on the couch together. Mariners lost that game. That's what I was paying most attention to. But still, it was hard not to notice the happy couple. But suddenly, things that were out of focus, incomprehensible, free-floating without reason or motive, suddenly it's all becoming tethered and grounded.

I'm beginning to figure out the figure that is mostly known as Edward Cullen.

Born Edward A. Masen, Jr., June 20th, 1901, Chicago. Son of prominent lawyer Edward Anthony Masen, Sr. and Elisabeth, no maiden name available. Parents died of Spanish Influenza in September 1918 within weeks of one another. So did junior. Who signed the death certificate? One Dr. Carlisle Cullen, M.D.

Naturally.

It's amazing what you can find when you're curious, and a cop.

Edward Masen, Edward Cullen, Edward Hale, always connected with a father or brother or uncle named Carlisle... There are probably other pseudonyms, but this is what I had to work with. If my information is correct, it's amazing how much schooling that boy has had.

Boy. What an illusion. He's one hundred and five years old. My eighteen year old daughter is married to a mythical creature who is one hundred and five years old.

Married.

Did they think I wouldn't find out?

It was curiosity at first. They would have to create a cover, wouldn't they? And I was so curious to see how good it was. I was well aware just how much of an underground economy there was in fake identities, but I was oh-so curious.

I dug. And I dug. And I dug.

I thought about all I knew concerning the Cullens. I listed out all I could reasonably assume, and then, because they were who they were, I had a whole other category for the things that I couldn't reasonably assume, but that might be true anyway. They were... _what they were_ after all.

Six weeks of digging when the office was slow, in my off hours. Didn't get much fishing done, but a father's got to do what a father's got to do. And I haven't much been there for Bella when she was young, but I could certainly be there for her now.

Or maybe that wasn't fair.

It's not clear to me that I did this for Bella. It could be I just did it for myself. For me and Renee, because even if her decisions aren't ours to make, feeling powerless while she walks into hell barefoot isn't a good feeling.

So I dug.

And now I was contemplating calling Renee. This is not an endeavor I consider lightly. I hate talking with her. She's just so... happy. She's happy experiencing everything I never could offer her and her very happiness twists a knife in my gut that she plunged in when she left with our daughter, the daughter I'd always imagined we'd raise together. One big happy family. That never happened. I lost my wife, I lost my daughter, I lost my happiness.

Most of the time I was able to ignore it. When I talk with Renee, there's no ignoring it.

Still, she had a right to know. But I figure I should talk with Bella first, give her first dibs on talking to her mom.

Renee needs to know, especially if Bella planned on... well. You know.

Also not a conversation I was looking forward to having.

Never thought Bella would follow so clearly in our footsteps. Getting married at eighteen in Vegas. We never told her about that. Didn't want to put ideas into her head. I kept my end of the bargain, but now I wonder about Renee.

Two idiot children, running off to Vegas to elope. Bella wasn't even out of diapers before we were divorced.

He said they mate for life. I can't even imagine what that would look like. But then again, his family is a testament to it, so maybe he knows what he's talking about. It's obvious they care about one another, but could they not have fathomed that maybe I'd have liked to have given Bella away?

His parents were there. Hell, Sam Uley was there. Come to think of it, I bet Jacob was there, too, if he's the leader.

I'm the last to know. I'd hate it more if I hadn't done it to my own parents. I remember all too well what it was like to be stupid in love. I wouldn't have thought it of Bella, but then I don't claim to know her real well anymore, if I ever did, which I probably didn't.

I wonder if she told Renee.

I've overheard her on the phone, sometimes, that phone he bought for her. (What boy buys a cell phone for his girlfriend? I should have seen this coming a mile away, instead of in retrospect. I wrote it off to the money of his parents. Parents. Mentor. Maker. Whatever.) I know she gets pretty graphic about their relationship. I know things about my little girl I never wanted to know.

I know he sneaks in at night. (Do they think I'm stupid? And deaf? And have no sense of smell?)

I know she doesn't always go camping, and I'd be willing to bet she never really has. (Camping? _Bella?_ Get real. Do they think I was born yesterday?)

I know the few times she's had me call her in sick to school he's also not been in school, and he hadn't called it in - they'd had to track down his 'parents.'

But, I also know that her grades have actually improved, particularly in math and history where I know she's always flailed, and I know it's because he tutors her. And I know that she's been happier than I've ever known her to be, or heard stories of her being. Never quite fit in, our Bella.

Typical teenage behavior, you see it all the time, I hear it from all the parents - get a boyfriend, or a girlfriend, and suddenly the teen withdraws from their friends and family. Not Bella. I think she has more friends now than she's ever had, and I certainly see more of her than I thought I would, what with her and Edward hanging out over here so often.

Granted, most of those friends are either Cullens or Quileutes, come to think of it, but still, she's got them. At least she's comfortable with her in-laws. More than I ever claimed to be. Apparently she'll have them for quite some time.

Ah, and their sex life. At least I knew she was sexually active and taking precautions before I had _evidence_ that she was sexually active. Didn't come as quite a shock that way.

All things considered, you'd think they'd be much quieter. After all, it's not like they can read my mind. They don't know that I know, and I've yet to give any indication. That's an ace I'm waiting to play.

Actually, it might be a whole sleeve of aces, if I play my cards right.

And I wait, even with a sleeve full of aces, because as much as their relationship unnerves me at times it also seems that it's doing Bella a world of good. I can't actually imagine someone more devoted to my daughter than that man. Thing. Man. I'll go with man.

He's not perfect. I see that. He seems to be a little bit of a worry wart. He has self-admitted issues with control. He somehow thinks that secretly marrying my daughter in her senior year of high school was a good idea, and I would debate that with him until the cows came home, and a good deal afterwards. He is quite obviously a very accomplished liar which bothers me on principle. It may be that at some point in his long life he has killed people and there's just no way around that not being a good thing.

Everyone dies. Sometimes people have to die at the hands of others. I'm glad that I've never had to be the cause of it, I've never had to kill someone in the line of duty, but I understand that sometimes we are the cause of someone else dying. Some places still have the death penalty. Killing happens in war. But it's clear to me that being the cause, directly or indirectly, of someone else's untimely demise is never a good thing, even if it's an acceptable thing. It's never the best way. It always leaves an indelible mark on the one who does it. It pains me to know that whatever the reason, that boy probably has that mark, and that's something he'll have to live with for the rest of his considerably long life. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

He's not perfect. Still, he and Bella seem to have a pretty deep connection. I can see that as clear as the nose on his face. And there's really no going between them. Aside from the admittedly necessary lying, the somewhat extraneous lying and eloping with my daughter, Edward Cullen has shown himself to be the model human being, well, okay, not quite human. Is he human? Doesn't matter. Person. He's been the model person. He's saved her life while risking his cover. He's turned his own world upside down to meet her where she is, as a human with human needs and requirements. He goes out of his way to be respectful, to be kind to the Quileutes who apparently hate him on sight, and to preserve human life against his natural inclination. He caters to her every whim, if I understand things correctly, and yet quite obviously challenges her at the same time. And apparently the sex is quite good.

He's not perfect. Then again, neither am I.

And in the end, it doesn't matter. None of it matters. She is an adult, or becoming one, and is responsible for her own decisions. Heaven knows she's been an adult making adult decisions with Renee for quite some time now. She still lives with me, but that clock is ticking down. It is my privilege that she lives with me at this point in her life, and I know it. 'Joint Custody' is a misnomer when you only get to be in your daughter's life for two weeks out of the year. It's a horrible, twisted lie is what it is. There is nothing joint about raising a child when you don't share a household with that child, or assumptions, expectations, values and responsibility with the other caretaker. For too long our lives have been on divergent paths. It was her choice that they converge again. I am only in Bella's life because Bella has chosen me to be, and there's not a single day I don't reflect on that fact. If Bella chooses, I can be out of her life just as quickly. Don't think I don't know it. I do.

If they had to elope, which at this point is neither here nor there as it is over and done with, and an annulment is quite obviously not an option for those two, I couldn't be more pleased that they chose to keep it a secret. Bella has chosen, for now, to continue living here. Knowing a little better Edward's situation I realize what a precious choice that is. Bella will be more than cared for for her entire life. She doesn't need to finish school or go to college to be able to afford a home or food or health insurance or clothes for her children. That will never be a worry for her. She doesn't need the approval of others for I am sure sooner than I will like, she will have a new identity in a new place, starting over looking fifteen or sixteen, or maybe dropping off the radar entirely. I only hope she will still allow me into her life, wherever it is, whatever it looks like.

Every other member of that family that I could find, which okay, wasn't many - Esme and Rosalie, really - they died. Edward, too. Their deaths were all faked.

I really don't want to push Bella into a situation where she feels like she has to do that. I'll be as flexible as I need to be. I'll accept whatever I need to accept, but I refuse to be the cause for Bella's absence in my life for the second time. I've experienced it once already.

Once was enough.

Maybe I'll wait on calling Renee.

***

**End Note:** You know you want to go vote for DESS in the Mystic Awards, for which voting continues even now. :) The URL is in my profile. I look forward, also, to hearing what you make of this little outtake...


	5. Tiny Bird

**Title**: Tiny Bird  
**Author**: Sare Liz  
**Series: **Daily Vampire Mating Ritual  
**Continuity**: The Day The Earth Stood Still (outtake). This outtake takes place after the chapter 'Emotional Fragility in the Cullen Clan'.  
**Rating**: M.

***

**Disclaimer**: The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Beta:** Colleen P., wonderful.  
**Author's Note: ** I promised myself I would not do this. I promised myself I would absolutely never write from Bella's point of view in this fic. ...But it just sort of happened. I think the reason why I decided this was because while the way Meyer writes Midnight Sun appeals to me, the way she writes Twilight, the way she writes Bella doesn't necessarily appeal to me, and I don't wish to even attempt to mimic that style. And so, while I think this BPOV is true to Bella as we understand her in DESS, I don't think I've written her in the same style as we're used to seeing...

Having said that, here we go...

***

He's like a bird. He's like a tiny, fragile bird that I hold in my hands. I've tamed him, or he's trained me, I don't know, but I know how to hold my hands just so. He comes to me, and I hold him just so. I hold him, and I know how easy it would be to crush him. His thin, hollow bird bones would crumble in my hot, heavy, human hands. Snap goes one wing, then the other. Crush goes his tiny ribcage. Crumble goes the miniature legs and hopping feet. One feeble chirp and then nothing.

I have held my hands just so, but sometimes I am neglectful. I only realize I've been negligent when I hear one feeble chirp, and then nothing.

He thinks I'm fragile. He has no idea.

***

I can't do this without him. It flips me out to think that one minute he can be declaring his undying devotion to me and the next he's waiting patiently on a sacrificial altar of his own construction for me to come with the knife and cut his heart out. And he can go from zero to sixty before I can think twice. It's really not fair that he can panic faster than I can react. I mean, what the hell?

I know we can do this, though. And I know this won't be the last time something sets him off. I wonder why he's like this. No, that's stupid, and pointless. He _is_ like this. And regardless, I know it will be okay, I know we can work through anything, so long as we aren't apart. So long as he stays, so long as I stay, it's only a matter of time. It only takes time, and effort, and patience, and love. And we have all of those things.

Even though I've been steadily reading through his journals I feel like I've only gotten the tip of the iceberg with him. There is so much there. And as the journals progress, he only gets more morose, more cynical. I'm almost through the ones on his shelf. I'm in the eighties. I can hardly recognize him. He's so... bitter. He's held so much disappointment in his life. It's like watching a train wreck. It hurts to read page after page, and yet I am compelled to keep reading, to turn the page, to continue on. Even when I know I could put it down for a while, I can't bear to do so. I need to keep reading. I need to know what he felt, how he was.

He doesn't read them to me any more. He did in the beginning, but somewhere in the forties he declared them entirely too maudlin and simply refused. Now we just curl up on a couch at least every other day, and he holds me while I read his journal and he reads something else - child psychology, lately.

Part of me wants to skip a head a bit - not to skip entirely, but I just need some balance. I want to read just a page or two from a journal written since he's met me, just to get some assurance that he's not still this person, not still this guy who seems utterly detached from an existence he holds with distain on good days and contempt on the bad ones. But that makes me stop and pause, because what if I don't see it? What if it's not there to see? What if, on the inside, Edward is still this broken, detached man?

I know he loves me. I know he's not perfect. I suppose I just never thought he would be as broken as I am.

It would explain a lot, really. It would explain why we clash the way we do, sometimes. I know he can't stand that I don't see myself the way he does, but I'm not perfect, either, not that I'm trying to make excuses.

I don't think that I can fix him, any more than I expect him to fix me, but I really like the idea that we can help each other as we fix ourselves. I really like that idea. And in the meantime, I just want to love him and be happy that he loves me.

***


	6. Strange Ways

**Title**: Strange Ways  
**Author**: Sare Liz  
**Series: **Daily Vampire Mating Ritual  
**Continuity**: The Day The Earth Stood Still (outtake). Takes place after the chapter 'Diamond & Moonstone'.  
**Rating**: M.

***

**Disclaimer**: The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Beta:** Colleen P., who loves Charlie.  
**Author's Note: ** It's the call Charlie knew he would have to take, because as much as Bella & Edward like to think that they're on this blissful little newlywed island all on their own, the rest of the world is marching on, and noticing things. (Yes, Charlie POV.)

***

"Hello," I said as I picked up the home phone. I hoped something hadn't gone wrong with Bella and Edward. I couldn't actually imagine anything that that boy - well, really, my son-in-law - couldn't handle, but you never knew.

"Charlie, it's Renee."

Oh. It was _this_ phone call. I checked the time and did some mental math. Yep, Renee just got home from the airport, dropping them off for their flight down to interview that hybrid guy who lived with the man-eating river fish and giant snakes.

"Evening, Renee. So what'd'you think of Edward?" I decided to cut to the chase. Life was too short to spend time ripping my heart out exchanging pleasantries and Merry Christmases with her on the phone. I knew why she was calling, anyway.

There was a telltale pause as she undoubtedly tried to be tactful.

"Well... he's a very nice young man, nice manners, very charming, very handsome and obviously he loves Bella very much, but I am just a little bit worried. Not about the two of them, just... That poor boy. Have you noticed anything strange about him, Charlie? I understand you've gotten to know him quite well."

Uh-oh. This was _exactly_ what I feared. Renee has strange ways of knowing things. I may mock her ways, but she does end up knowing quite a deal when all the chips are down.

"I have gotten to know him pretty well. I think I know his character. He's confided a few things to me, but for instance, they haven't told me yet that they eloped in Vegas. I had to figure that one out on my own. They tell you that?"

Vampire or Vegas. I'd rather derail her and get them in trouble on the smaller front than the larger one. I knew full well I wasn't any better at lying than my daughter. Nice to know she got something from me, after all.

"Oh, I guessed it. But they weren't going to tell me, otherwise, I don't think, so don't feel bad. When did _you_ find out?"

"Round about six weeks after the fact."

"So why were you digging around? What were you worried about?"

Shit.

"Nothing. Just curious. It's an odd family, cobbled together. Bunch of adopted teenagers, pretty young parents. They've never done anything wrong, but I was curious about their histories."

"Ah, just abusing your power, then."

"You have ways of finding things out, Renee, and so do I."

"Yes, I do have ways of finding things out. Edward had a lot of migraines when he was here. Does he have a lot of migraines at home?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right." Shit. Shit. She's going to see through that. Shit.

"Hmm. The poor boy barely saw the sun, though I suppose he'll see enough of that in Brazil."

"I reckon he will. Probably come back with a great tan. Too bad Bella never could really tan."

"Oh, I somehow think he won't."

I made a non-committal noise, wanting to change the subject but not daring to do so.

"You know I practice Reiki. I've been teaching it out here a little, too, just here and there, you know."

"Oh, right." Reiki, Reiki... what the hell was Reiki? She's mentioned it before. It's some sort of holistic something, but damn if I could remember what exactly.

I wondered what would happen when you tried to practice holistic medicine on a vampire.

"Well, by the second migraine, I just felt so bad for him that I offered to give him Reiki.I won't bore you with details. But I'll ask you again, what is wrong with that boy? What is wrong with our son-in-law?"

"What do you think is wrong with him?" I asked, trying to affect a concerned tone, wondering now even more what in hell Reiki was and what would happen if you tried to give it to a vampire.

"Charlie, is there a history of abuse?" Renee asked me with deadly seriousness.

"Uhh..." I said, feeling as if I'd been hit was something out of left field. "Not... that... I'm aware of. I mean, nothing like that's ever come up. And even so, he seems pretty well adjusted, even if he has had to deal with something like that. Did you... um, did you... _see_ something, or something?"

Renee sighed down the line. "It doesn't work like that. I felt his energy. And Charlie, his energy is _**not**_ normal. It's strong, but it's static, until it's not. I mean, it doesn't flow. Energy is supposed to flow, Charlie. When it doesn't, occasionally and in tiny doses, those are major blockages that we have to cleanse and work through. He doesn't have a major blockage. He doesn't have a dozen major blockages. He _**is**_ a major blockage. The only thing energy doesn't flow in is dead bodies, and yet there were times when his energy wasn't flowing at all. Not even a little bit. Not even slightly. And then suddenly, out of no where, it _**would.**_ So. Charlie. What is going on with Edward?"

She'd ended on something like a yell. I responded calmly.

"What do you think is going on with Edward?"

"_Charlie! Don't give me this shit!" _she yelled. I was silent. Eventually in a much more even tone, she quoted Shakespeare at me - I knew this because Bella had quoted the same line to me just the other week. "I think that there are more things in heaven and on earth than are dreamt of in our philosophies is what I think."

I resisted the urge to say something dry and witty. Instead I simply repeated my question. Ah, using interrogation techniques on my ex-wife. These are the moments I live for. Or something.

"Okay. So, what do you think is going on with Edward?"

"I..." But she trailed off. I couldn't blame her. I sure as hell wasn't going to use the v-word, even if I'd thought it was a good idea to tell her. I was still on the fence about that. "I'd rather not say. What do _you_ think is going on with Edward?"

"I'd rather not say. But who cares? Why do you care? You said it yourself - he's a good boy and obviously in love with Bella. Why do you care about his energy?"

It was quiet for a moment before she spoke again, softly. "You know, don't you? Whatever they have or haven't told you, you _know."_

Shit. _Shit._

"Yes, I know."

"What is it, Charlie? I have to know. I'm her mother."

"But you're not his mother. And anyway, they're both adults."

"They're married!" she yelled over the phone. "I _**am**_ his mother, dammit!"

"I can't tell you, Renee. It's not my secret to tell, though I did point out to them that not telling you was going to be an issue."

"So Bella knows?"

"Oh yes, Bella knows."

"And she's okay with it?"

"She accepts him utterly."

"Is she wrong to do that?" came Renee's frightened whisper.

"If she is, then so am I."

"That's not an unqualified no," she pointed out softly.

"Can't give an unqualified no to the normal guy on the corner. Why should Edward get one? I've given you the best I can. I trust him. I trust him with Bella's life, and I'd trust him with my own." I'm about to trust him with my grandchildren, I thought, but didn't say it aloud.

There was silence on the other end of the phone for quite a while. Finally I broke it myself.

"Look, Renee, I get it. I swear I get it, but this is bigger than us, and sometimes it's better to just keep it on the down-low."

"Are you kidding? I have to ask my Internet Reiki friends about this."

"No!" I shouted before I even realized it. I tried to backpedal. "That's a bad idea, Renee. Don't... don't discuss Edward with people. It's just... the world is getting smaller, you know? The global village and all that. Don't mention him in the context of anything strange or unusual. He's just your handsome, talented son-in-law. Leave it at that, as far as the rest of the world is concerned."

There was more silence.

"Alright," Renee said. Her voice was calm. I knew she'd be calling Bella as soon as they were back home again. "Thank you, Charlie. Have a good night."

"Yeah, you too."

We each hung up, but I couldn't help but wonder if I'd just made the situation worse.

***


	7. Victoria's Secret

**Title**: Strange Ways  
**Author**: Sare Liz  
**Series: **Daily Vampire Mating Ritual  
**Rating**: M.

***

**Disclaimer**: The Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Beta: **Colleen P, who researched the question of men allowed in the changing rooms at VS for me (no), and who bust out with the shop girls line on twitter.  
**Continuity:** The Day The Earth Stood Still (outtake) This outtake takes place in the midst of 'Diamonds & Moonstone'. It really didn't fit into the flow of the chapter, though if you look very, very closely at that chapter you will notice at one point that Bella sets down a shopping bag at her feet that is described as a Victoria's Secret bag, though it's not called by that name. :)

**Author's Note: **I always knew they were going to do something, but then Edward whispered in my ear exactly _what_ and I couldn't resist writing it. I love outtakes. They let me be bad, as a writer, and break my own rules.

***

After spending an hour wandering the mall with Renee and Phil, Bella and I were set loose to our own devices, having agreed to meet up in two hours before the movie to catch a quick bite to eat at one of the full-service restaurants, at which we made reservation in an attempt to have a respite from the _crush_ of humanity that had descended en mass to the mall on the day before Christmas Eve. Neither Bella nor myself had any necessary shopping left to do, but we set off nonetheless to enjoy our time strolling through the crowds, chatting with one another and window shopping - window shopping _alone_, as I seriously doubted that Bella would actually condone the purchase of so much as a packet of hair ties.

And me, I was keeping a keen eye out for suitable places to receive my previously promised forty-five seconds of fellated bliss. We were mid-conversation about whether or not the Cullens could be successful pet owners, given their placement on the food chain - Bella was pro-goldfish, but I failed to see the point of goldfish as part of a satisfying pet experience, which as I understood it required at the very least a four-footed mammal - when I grinned and paused the train of thought.

"Wait, wait," I said, holding up the hand that wasn't holding hers, and did so with a smile. "Do you recall your promise to me before we left the house?" I was subtly steering our direction toward the shop across the way that was vomiting the color pink.

Bella's head was still full of arguments for fish, reptiles, and -dear God- spiders as acceptable and satisfying pet choices, however. She wasn't on the same page.

_Huh? _"What? No... huh?"

I grinned. "Before we finished getting dressed you made me a promise. Forty-five seconds?" I said, in explanation.

_Oh! Sexy times with me and the sparkly peen._

I rolled my eyes and groaned before I even realized it. "Oh, God, Bella. Must you even _think _that?"

She was giggling before she even started thinking in clear conversational tones again, but her underlying thoughts were quite obvious, and all swirling around just how humorous she found my display of pride. Meanwhile I was dealing with my own slight mortification that she even referred to that part of my anatomy in such a way in her head.

_Oh, I'm sorry. Did I wound your fragile pride? Would you prefer I think of it as your Big, Bad, Manly Vampire Cock? Well, that name's sort of a mouthful, but then again, so are you. How about Edward's Glorious Fuck Stick? No?_

"If I could blush, I would," I commented.

Bella snorted and squeezed my hand. _I seriously doubt it. Let's not forget that I'm present and listening when we have sex. You bust out with plenty of really good stuff. Plenty of it is dirty and delicious, so don't think I don't know you're full of shit right now, __because I do. __ And anyway, your skin is reflective. The skin on your cock is also reflective. I could call it the Great Reflective Cock, but sparkly peen just seems to roll off my tongue better. __Now__, did you want said sexy times, or were you just trying to divert me from winning the argument because you don't want to admit that I've made a very strong case for fish, reptiles, and arachnids as solid household pet choices?_

I grinned despite myself. "Oh, I want it," I said softly as I continued to slowly make my way against the sudden riptide of humanity all wanting to move away from the damn Victoria Secret storefront.

_Where are we... Edward... Edward, why are we heading toward the lingerie store? Edward you can't... oh no, you can't be serious. When I said PRIVATE, I meant PRIVATE! Not the changing rooms at Victoria's Secret!_

My grin got wider and I tightened my grip on her hand.

"Edward, they're not going to let you go back there - don't you think other guys have thought about this?" Still, she wasn't fighting me as we made our slow progress toward the store.

"Bella, I'm surprised at you. You know how _persuasive_ I can be when the situation demands it."

Bella had a fleeting memory of Senora Goff. _The shop girls aren't going to know what hit them._

I chuckled.

_So, hmm... what should I take to try on? I don't think I really need anything - Rose and Leah were brutal on me last month, but then again, you do seem to enjoy ripping all of my under-things off, don't you?_

I gave her a look, hopefully conveying what she knew to be my oft-repeated sentiment on the subject; all of those skimpy, delicate, lacy garments were practically created to be ripped off the body. Would she really rather they slowly disintegrate in the washing machine? Please.

Bella rolled her eyes at me.

"I'm sure we can find plenty of things for you to try."

Suddenly Bella had a fairly good idea as to exactly how she wanted to proceed. She looked over and up at me, the grin slowly sliding over her face as she pictured it all quite clearly in her head.

I was somewhat shocked. We'd never done _that_ before, and now she wanted our first time to be in the fucking changing room of Victoria's Secret?

"Are you sure?" I asked, my voice quiet and barely discernible in the chaos of the mall.

She now looked like the cat who ate the canary. "Positive."

_And maybe I could get some new jammies for Brazil. I mean, did we even pack any? I didn't realize that we'd be sleeping in a hammock in the rainforest with the rest of your family and God-knows who else milling about. Jammies are suddenly very high on my priority list. And you did kill my last pair of dark blue underwear. You should probably replace that._

Finally we were passing the threshold of the store, which like the rest of the mall was incredibly packed. Bella squeezed between other patrons as she picked out a thin pair of cotton shorts and tank top for pajamas and chose two thongs and two boy shorts of the appropriate size in my favorite color in the same style of the ones I'd destroyed before. We waited, though not for long, for a changing room to become vacant for her, but indeed, a rather harried looking sales associate in her mid-twenties stopped me from entering in a rather mechanical and impersonal manner.

That would not do.

I checked her name tag before she ran off to fulfill the request she'd just gotten for a different size from the woman in the changing room next to Bella.

"Amanda," I called softly. She really didn't have a hope in hell of not letting me have my way. I slipped out of Bella's head momentarily, thinking it might give me the edge, but the crush of voices was so obscenely overwhelming in just that fraction of a second that I instantly retreated back into the quiet solitude of her mind where there was just she and I. I could see Bella in my peripheral vision, waiting in the doorway of her changing room with her arms crossed, a smug look on her face.

Amanda the sale associate turned around only to find me standing rather close to her. Close enough for her to smell me. Close enough to breathe on her, which I did immediately, on a sigh. I watched her eyes glaze over. I murmured my words, capturing her gaze and keeping it throughout my persuasive soliloquy.

"Amanda," I said again, pausing after her name to moisten my lips with the tip of my tongue. I spoke very slowly, very quietly, and watched as she leaned closer to me in a daze. "I don't mean to be a nuisance, honestly I don't." I let the words roll around in my mouth. "My wife is very modest, you see. She wants to make sure I approve of her selection. But she would never come out and show me. She's far too modest for that, and I am far too jealous to ever want her to do that. You understand, don't you, Amanda?"

Amanda nodded slightly, eyes still glazed. I breathed on her again for good measure.

"You don't mind, then, if I just step into the changing room with her? I won't be a bother."

"No... bother..." Amanda dazzedly whispered.

"Off you go then," I said softly, with my softest, most endearing smile. "You have customers to take care of. Off you go," I said, blowing softly in her face.

I was in the changing room before she blinked again. Other customers who had witnessed the interaction were chuckling, but as Bella had predicted, the shop girl didn't know what hit her.

_I don't think I need to try on the underwear--_

"Yes you do," I interrupted quickly, sitting down on the settee that stood against one wall of the rather spacious changing room.

Bella sighed and smiled at me. _Well then, if you're game for this, I suggest you get yourself situated over there. _And then she flashed me with her fantasy again. I knew I had to be completely quiet, but holy shit...

I unfastened the buckle of my belt as Bella leaned into the wall opposite me and toed off her shoes, and then pulled the socks off as well. She shuffled her shoes and socks over to the wall opposite the door, where the full length mirror was. I had unbuttoned and unzipped my jeans by the time she had her shirt off, and she threw it at my head. I caught it with a grin and laid it down next to me on the settee. She did the same with her jeans, and by then I had my cock out of my pants and was, per Bella's request in her fantasy, pumping myself as I watched her.

_That is so sexy, I can't even describe it._

I raised one eyebrow and leaned against the wall behind me, as if getting more comfortable, settling in for the show that was about to begin.

Really, it had already begun. Bella was in a matching set of light blue underwear, and it was lovely.

"You should take your bra off," I whispered.

_To try on the pjs? Don't you think I'll be wearing one in Brazil, I mean, especially if there are other people around, even when I'm sleeping?_

My hand pumped steadily up and down the hard length of my cock. I whispered my response to her. "Do you honestly think we're not going to have sex in that hammock, Bella? No, you won't be wearing a bra to sleep."

_Well, then. Catch._ She threw her bra at me as well. I laid it across my thigh and kept stroking.

_Now, pjs first. _

I squeezed harder when she turned around and bent over in order to pull the shorts up. She slipped the tank top over her torso and was covered once more, but watching her run her own hands down her sides - pausing to cup her own breasts - then down over her hips was also quite good.

"What do you think? I think these would be okay for Brazil."

She walked up to me, then, and I spread my legs so she could stand between them.

"The material is very soft and stretchy, too." She took my free hand in hers and put it on the bare skin of her belly, but quickly moved both of our hands up and under the material until my hand cupped the delicate and hot skin of her right breast. Heaven. I brushed my thumb over the quickly hardening areola and Bella grinned the grin of the self-satisfied. _I don't know how easy the bottoms would be to get in and out of in a hammock, but I suppose between the two of us we'll be able to manage it._

Bella took two steps backwards, bent at the waist and took the head of my cock into her mouth for the briefest of moments as I continued to tug on my erection. My eyes shot open wide and my jaw dropped, though I made no sound. All too quickly Bella backed away even further.

She returned the set of pajamas to their hanger, then took off her light blue lace boy shorts and tossed them at me. I caught them and wrapped them around my erection, continuing on from there.

Bella slipped on the dark blue lacy boy shorts first, the same style as the ones she'd just pulled off, though a better color. They stood out starkly on her pale ivory skin. I licked my lips, taking in her beautiful nearly-naked form - her hair curling down over her shoulders, her beautiful, pert breasts unbound, the line of her waist, the flair of her hips encased by the dark blue lace. The dark blue lace... The lace that veiled the sweetest part of her in mystery... The lace that just begged me to be ripped asunder...

I swallowed harshly and licked my lips again as I pumped harder and faster with my fist.

I watched with eyes growing wide again as Bella turned around, spread her legs, and bent at the waist, putting her hands on the wall in front of her. Bella's ass was perfection encased in dark blue lace.

_See anything you like?_

Dear God in heaven, yes!

"You're so beautiful, Bella," I whispered to her as I increased the pressure, pausing at the top to squeeze my tip for a moment of blissful agony. "There's no part of you I don't adore."

Bella flicked her hair across her back as she looked behind to catch my eye, still bent over. She grinned at me. _Well, I'm okay with that. And the feeling is totally mutual, you know that, right? You're my own personal God of Love, my Adonis incarnate. I tease you about sparkling, but you know it's somehow stupidly sexy, don't you?_ She arched her back farther, and I could smell her arousal now. _You know there's never a time I don't find you just over-the-top attractive and that when you are in the sun... that's when your beauty seems most angelic, and yet that doesn't make you any less sexy. More, maybe. But at least on par with the rest of the time. And don't get me started about when you're hunting. _She shifted and I shuddered. _I think I might spontaneously combust if I actually saw you in the sun when you had your hunting mojo on. It might be too much for me. I might just keel over in a dead faint at that point from some sort of lust overload._

"So what do you think?" she asked nonchalantly, straightening up, as if she hadn't just utterly floored me with her thoughts, leaving me a shuddering, quivering, throbbing mass on the pink settee. "Should we get these?"

I nodded mutely as I pumped with hard jerks.

I watched as she slowly pulled them down her legs and came toward me to gently replace them on the pile next to me, and to retrieve the thongs that were also there. I caught her mid-stream, though, my right hand still pumping hard, my left at the side of her face.

"Wait," I whispered urgently. "Forget the thong."

Bella smiled and cupped my face in her hands as she gave me a tender kiss. She shifted back slightly, bending even further from the waist, and she placed both hands on my thighs. She imagined in that moment what she wanted to do to me and I wasn't about to argue it one bit.

I continued pumping in sharp jerks with my right hand as she began licking at the tip - just tiny, delicate licks with the tip of her tongue at first. The shudder that wracked through my body was the strongest one yet. I felt her lips and teeth close around my tip just a moment before I felt the most beautiful suction _in the world._ I didn't at all notice that Bella had moved one of her hands until she had one finger pressing against my lips.

I darted out my tongue to taste and found the same delicious banquet of Bella's skin as always. I sucked her finger into my mouth and sucked on it for a moment as she did the same to my cock. My right hand never stilled in the steady pumping and after a moment I let my teeth rake gently against the skin of her forefinger. I took two drops of blood and felt the bliss begin.

I was utterly silent and otherwise still as I came spurting onto Bella's tongue, her soft inner monologue the same gentle and random cadence it always was when she allowed me the bliss of coming in her mouth, the underwear she'd been wearing into the store wrapped around my cock as I stroked it hard and fast. I took in the view - the long uninterrupted expanse of Bella's back that ended in the lovely curve of her rear and that began with the utterly stellar image of her pink lips wrapped around the end of my cock. Beautiful.

Beautiful.

* * *

**End Note: **So. What do you make of it? Clickity-click on that green writing below and let me know, eh?


	8. Dishing to Renee

**Title**: Dishing to Renee  
**Author**: Sare Liz  
**Disclaimer**: Does not belong to me.  
**Continuity**: Outtake of The Day the Earth Stood Still (Daily Vampire Mating Ritual)

**Beta**: Colleen P, bless her. The concept of dishing to mom about sex just toes a line for her. I never dished to mine, so I understand. Renee is much different from Mrs. DK Gordy, however.  
**Author's Note**: This one takes place somewhere in Book 1 of DESS. Pick a place.

* * *

We didn't bother _really _starting this afternoon at all - it was a Monday, which meant that Bella called Renee at four and spoke nearly until Charlie came home at five thirty. She usually prepared a simple supper while she talked on the phone. Really, there was only an hour, or slightly less, between the end of school and the weekly call. It wasn't nearly enough for Bella and I, but as far as satisfying rounds of sex went, an hour was not as long as apparently the average eighteen year old assumed. I'd been taking a random sampling of people's thoughts at lunch for other reasons, maintaining our cover being first and foremost, but you'd be surprised how often teens think of sex.

Ten minutes was apparently a very impressive showing among my male peers who were sexually active with partners. To be clear, that's ten minutes from first exposure of their sexual member to the moment of their own orgasm. What they consider foreplay doesn't even bear mentioning. Their so-called impressive stamina was sort of shocking to consider, but consider it I did.

Was what Bella and I had so very different from the average human sexual relationship? I was fully aware that my libido was stronger than even a very virile young man in the midst of his sexual peak. I was fully aware that Bella's libido was similarly strong, perhaps even it could be considered inhuman. But could anything a human experience technically be inhuman? Wouldn't that be a contradiction? But if due to an outside influence, for example: me, a human was pressed into bearing a non-human urge, even if they were bearing it as best they could, they would be a human bearing a non-human or inhuman urge. Okay. So, Bella's libido was inhuman as well. But that's just desire, drive, and it wouldn't necessarily have anything to do with performance, duration, or stamina.

Huh.

I remembered that first night when I came in her hand. How long had that taken? It was hard to tell, and I certainly wasn't trying for stamina at that point; I'd just wanted delicious relief as soon as possible. Our first kiss, the first time I came in her hand, time hadn't flowed for me like it usually did. I'd gotten so absorbed in Bella that I hadn't recognized the passage of time. Thank heavens that didn't happen any more. That was truly disconcerting. Admitting that I have no real concept of how much time had passed, I would say from the moment she had her hand wrapped around me to the moment I actually came would be 90 seconds at a minimum and 210 seconds at a maximum. This put me right in league with my high school peers, for my very first time.

I'd gotten better since then. Occasionally my orgasm would take me by surprise, occasionally even now Bella would do or say something so devastatingly sexy that I would find myself gasping for air I didn't need as my balls would tighten and my orgasm would rip through my body without so much as a single drop of blood on my tongue.

I should really catalog those moments to see if I could find a correlation. But did I really want to find a correlation? It was kind of nice not to know, to simply have it be a surprise. I would wait on it - I could certainly change my mind and decide to do it at any time.

It was true that an hour of guaranteed privacy in comfortable environs, I found out, was something of a luxury for most older teens. Then again, most teens had parents that attempted at vigilance in their responsibilities, and most teens had parents that saw it as their responsibility that their children remain chaste at least until college, or so their mind tended to wander while they grocery shopped.

I tried to imagine limiting my intimacy with Bella to one hour every four or five days. There was an awful sinking in my gut that could not be accounted for in my physiology. Then I thought about what my life and our relationship might be like if we were still chaste.

I shook myself, the horror was so profound. No more of that. Such thoughts will only take me to a place of which Bella will have strong and negative opinions, so best not to go there.

Bella. _Bella. _I had an hour with Bella today, this afternoon, just moments ago, really. It wasn't nearly enough. Still, an hour was long enough for one of us to take a turn, as we'd begun to think about it, and it was Bella's turn. Today she decided to work on her oral skills. Once we accepted our time limitations, which we'd mostly done a little while back, our only issue was my incoherency in the face of her demands for feedback.

_How am I supposed to get better if you don't tell me what you prefer, Edward? _Her tone was filled with exasperation.

"It's all very nice," I tried to explain between pants of air. If Bella honed her technique anymore... I wasn't sure how to even finish that thought. I'm sure I couldn't actually die from pleasure, but perhaps my brain would short circuit?

_Nice. It was nice when I first put you in my mouth, on... what was it, day number three of our acquaintance?_

Acquaintance? I wanted to be upset with her choice of words but I couldn't put together even a coherent _mental_ argument.

_I'm going for stellar, here._

"Stellar," I gasped. I nodded. She pulled her lips up from where they'd rested at the base of my cock as she'd had me nearly swallowed down her throat, and I felt her pump her fist, squeezing and twisting the thick ridge of flesh between her hot fingers. She sucked on the tip and nibbled as she went. I shuddered.

_Use your own words, please.__  
_

"It's f-f-fucking f-fantastic."

So the hour was spent. I never did get any more coherent in my description of the bliss she brought me. This inevitably arose in conversation with Renee not long afterwards.

"No, it's not that," she was saying. "But seriously, is it too much to ask to get a little feedback?"

"_I understand, completely," _I heard Renee agree.

I gave Bella a look from across the room then decided on a course of action. Before she could blink, I was behind her. My lips were on her neck just behind the hand that held the cell phone to her ear. I knew that when I spoke, even though I would speak quietly and in my lowest register, that Renee would be able to hear me.

"I'd be happy to discuss it after the fact in whatever level of detail you wish, love, but I hope you'll be able to forgive me for not being able to string two coherent thoughts together while you have your lips wrapped around me." I switched to the other side of her neck where it would be certain that Renee could not hear as I whispered in Bella's ear. "Would you understand my meaning if I said I was only human?"

I was sitting on the couch again before Bella could stagger against the doorway.

"_Bella, what are you doing?" _Renee drew out my love's name, as if she assumed we were doing something terribly sexual and awfully quiet over here on the other coast.

I watched as Bella breathed in and out with some difficulty. "He dazzles me, Mom, and it's totally unfair. It's a drive-by dazzling. He walks by, messes with my hormones, then keeps going and flops down on the couch."

"_Sounds normal. What did he do this time?"_

"He claims that he's only human, and that he'd be happy to discuss it after the fact with me."

"_So, have you discussed it after the fact, then?"_

"No, not yet. Though I have a feeling this is going to be not one discussion but many."

"Naturally," I add, from across the room.

"_Oh, Bella! Are you really going to talk about that? I mean, the nitty-gritty stuff with him? I could never talk to Phil like that. I don't know. I just... no. I don't think so."_

I watched Bella give the phone a look before she spoke into it once more.

"But if you don't talk to him, I mean, you know, if I don't talk to Edward, then how am I supposed to know what he likes, beyond the most basic 'if he makes a sound other than 'oww' he probably likes it' method. I mean, that only gets you so far, you know? And usually we can just talk during, and so that's not a big deal, but you know, when I'm doing ..._that..._ for him, he apparently can't multi-task."

"_Oh, cut him some slack, baby! The poor boy's got no blood in his brain when you're doing that to him!"_

When Bella looked over at me for confirmation I just shrugged. God only knew exactly how it was for male vampire arousal, but I believe we had some sort of parity with human males there, because it was more difficult to think clearly in more than three directions when I was aroused and it was difficult to clearly think in just one when I was in the middle of intercourse with my love.

"Yes, well, that may be, but back to you and Phil. You know I don't want the nitty gritty details, but do you mean that you and Phil never really talk about what you like, or what you want, or what... um,... your... uh, you know, fantasies are?"

Renee snorted over the phone. _"Is this to say that you and The Dreamboat actually do? I find that hard to believe, Bella, I really do."_

Bella scrunched up her brow and gave the phone another look, as if it were her mother. "Come on," she said. "It's as easy as saying, 'Hey, you know that thing you did with your tongue last night? That was full of win.' And if it was something you didn't actually like, or like, he was paying more attention to it than really it merited, then it's like, 'Hey you know that think you did with your tongue last night? Not so much.' And that's that. You've just communicated. Easy, you know?"

"_Does that actually work, though? He doesn't get upset?"_

Bella's mind flashed back to Halloween.

"Well, to be honest, it mostly works. I mean, Edward absolutely wants to know if he's reading me right, you know? And he reads me pretty well, as you can imagine-"

"_Because he can read your mind! That's an unfair advantage."_

"Yes, but it's not all about that. He still gets it wrong sometimes. And we have disagreements on what he considers my body dysmorphia," she said, tossing a glare over her shoulder at me. "And he has some completely irrational obsessions with certain non-errogenous zones of my body that really do defy description. But I guess I have them right back, so whatever."

I instantly perked up. Her mind was free of clarifying thought, but I was now dying to know with which odd bits of me she was irrationally obsessed. I joined her in the kitchen before she could blink again, and I leaned back on the counter next to where she was working. I had my arms crossed over my chest and I gave her an arch look.

"Gaah!" Bella nearly dropped the phone, but she caught it before it hit the linoleum.

"_What? What is it? Did you cut yourself? Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?"__  
_

"I... He... And, counter... Move..."

"Breathe," I said to her. She did. She was finally able to speak coherently just a few moments later.

"I'm fine Mom. He just scared the hell out of me. I turned around and he was, like, right there. I've considered putting a bell on him, honestly. Anyway, I should get going. Think about what I said about talking to Phil, okay? I mean, it might be hard going at first, but I swear it gets easier, and it's so worth the effort. Okay?"

"_I'll think about it sweetie. Have a good week, okay? Give Edward my best."_

"Okay. Bye, Mom. Love you."

"_I love you, too, baby. Bye-bye."_

The moment the phone clicked off, I cleared my throat. She was ignoring me, but I could be patient. I was still in her head, but she had closed all the doors and it was silent. Comfortable, cradling, caressing, but her mind was utterly silent. She walked across the kitchen to put the phone away and continued to ignore me. She took a deep breath and finished her dinner preparations. She set the table. She put ice in glasses. She looked at the clock and saw what I already knew: Charlie wouldn't be home for another ten minutes. She was at a loss for a moment, I could tell, but quickly she moved into the other room. I watched her go. She sat on the couch with her school bag and pulled out her global studies book.

I came up behind her, but made sure to make noise as I did. I stopped directly behind her.

"Are you mad at me, Bella?"

"No," she said in a tone that made her answer almost true.

Good enough. I gently laid my hands on her shoulders to give her an impromptu massage. I wouldn't have tried to touch her if she'd been really mad at me. I had already learned that one did not do that with Bella. One allowed Bella plenty of personal space, and did not impinge upon it until she felt calm and safe once more. She found it too manipulative, and in calm moments I had to agree with her. Instead, I tenderly massaged her shoulders and watched her physically relax. Her breathing became deeper, and she abandoned the attempted reading.

"Why aren't you talking to me, Bella?"

"You're not talking to me, either," she pointed out. She was right. I had been waiting, and I'd assumed that she knew on what I waited.

"True," I conceded. "I notice all the doors are closed up here," I said, my thumbs sweeping up the back of her neck to gently dig in the tightness up under her skull that sometimes gave her headaches.

"I'm waiting," she explained.

She was going to make me say it. "What I really want to know is with which bits of me are you irrationally obsessed?"

A door opened. Thoughts and images came flooding through, or I mentally threw myself among them, I'm not sure which. Bella _really_ liked my jaw. I grinned. She liked that, too. She was fixated on my hands, my long fingers, my forearms. The rest of the physical things she liked about me were erogenous zones - my tongue, my neck, my chest and abdomen, obviously my cock. She liked all the other bits of me as well, and I could see that clearly, but there were parts on which she really did have obsessive thoughts. I was glad. I wasn't in this alone, after all.

_What, no snarky commentary?_ she asked me silently.

"Who, me?" I replied with all due innocence.

She snorted at me. I'm sure she was also rolling her eyes, however much I couldn't witness it personally.

I crouched down behind her, behind the sofa, but continued to massage her shoulders and her neck. "I love that you think I'm beautiful, Bella. I love it," I whispered in her ear. "I revel in it. It makes me want to laugh out loud in pure happiness. And just so you know, I've never particularly liked my jaw line. I always thought it would look better if covered in facial hair."

Her gasp was audible. _How could you even think such thing? Your jaw is pure perfection! Oh, God..._ And then she wasn't coherent anymore, but she was fantasizing about writhing on my lap as she kissed and nibbled at my jaw, and the area of my neck directly underneath it.

"No need to fantasize," I murmured, having already jumped over the couch as quickly as possible, but then at a human speed, took the text book from her lap and dragged her across my lap.

"Charlie..." _Home. Soon._ She didn't want to get caught necking with me on the couch. I could see her point.

"I'll keep an ear open for him," I said, even as I held a hand at the back of her neck and slowly, gently guided her so that she could properly nibble and lick at the area in question under my left ear. Her hands were in my hair in no time, kneading and pulling.

Bliss. Mostly it was bliss because I finally understood that Bella really was every bit as entranced with me as I was with her, she just had her own spin on the situation.

* * *

**End Note: **Thanks for reading. :) Please feel free to let me know how you felt about this. Do you think you could have ever had this sort of conversation with your mother?


	9. In His Head

**Title**: In His Head  
**Author**: Sare Liz  
**Disclaimer**: Does not belong to me.  
**Continuity**: Outtake of The Day the Earth Stood Still (Daily Vampire Mating Ritual)

**Beta**: Colleen P, bless her.  
**Author's Note**: Watch Sarey have her cake and eat it, too. So, in Book 2, Chapter 4, 'Drill Sergeant and Midwife' we see from Rosalie's point of view a conversation that Jacob has whilst in wolf form with Edward. Naturally, we only hear Edward's responses. I'd posted Jacob's mental musings over on the Twilighted Forum, but several people have difficulties navigating the forums, so here I have the same post. But here's the thing. I'm not rewriting it. I'm just inserting the mental dialogue in the appropriate places in the RPOV. This is very, very wrong of me as a writer, but that's what outtakes are for, right? Places in which to bend rules?

* * *

"Bella will be happy that you're eating with her. She was very worried about you," Edward said to the wolf softly as he ran next to him.

_Are you guys still getting married in a few weeks?_

"Yes. That's still the plan," Edward replied, obviously to something that Jacob had asked him.

_Where are you going to do it, here?_

"Las Vegas."

_Oh. Bummer. I kinda was hoping that maybe I could be there. You know._

"When was the last time you were home, Jacob?"

_Huh? What has that got to do with anything?_

"Just answer the question, Jacob."

_Um, four days. I think. Longer since I was home, but people were with me until four days ago. I think._

"Then would you say that if you were gone for the weekend, you wouldn't be greatly missed? Because it's not clear to me that your father would give you permission to come with us."

I heard the wolf snort as he ran, and I took it to be some sort of lupine laughter. We all knew the gist of the answer to that question.

"Well, then I certainly don't mind if you come, and I think Bella will be thrilled. But you'll have to ask Rosalie, because as much as I like you, Jacob, I'm not driving you down and back. That would be up to Rose and Emmett. I need my alone time with Bella."

_Dear God, isn't it bad enough that your summer has been one solid hook up? Isn't it enough that you sleep with her too, even though you can't sleep? What, is she going to give you road head all the way to Vegas or something?__  
_

"Oh, shut up you great smelly dog," Edward responded with the century of maturity he'd gained in his life. "All you're getting for Christmas is a collar and a leash."

More wolfy laughter. I do wonder what he said. The kid can be so damn witty when he wanted to be, and Emmett and I particularly appreciated the way in which it was no-holds-barred when it came to his criticism of Edward's libido. I found the kid very, very amusing.

_From what I hear, you're the one with the collar and the leash. You guys have got some kinda crazy bedroom kink going on, you know that?__ And I__ would have thought it was all the big, bad, ancient vampire... okay, maybe not ancient, but certainly antique - you're over a hundred, right? But no... I hear Our Bells has got you chained up right all the time, and twice as much on special days. _

_Pretty fucking kinky, there, Edward._

_Don't let Charlie get wind of it. He'll know what happened to his handcuffs, then..._

_And if-_

"Do shut up."

More laughter, but no response from Edward, so perhaps the kid had knocked it off or toned it down.

When we reached the house, Edward darted inside while the four of us remained just beyond the tree line. Emmett wouldn't leave me while I was with the kid, and Jasper was there just in case. I heard Edward stop in the middle of his mission and I rolled my eyes. Of course he wouldn't be able to simply pass Bella and return to her in two minutes.

"Hello, love." I could hear them kissing, and her heartbeat elevating.

"Is everything okay? Is Jake okay?"

"Yes. He can tell you all about it in just a bit. He'll be joining you for dinner. I just need to get him some clothes from Emmett's closet."

"Why does he need clothes?"

"He's a rather large wolf, love. If he was wearing clothes before he shifted they certainly wouldn't last long enough to still be wearable afterwards."

"Oh. Wow. That... um... that sort of sucks... Come inside for a minute," I heard Bella say, which obviously meant that she had something to tell him she didn't want us - or Jacob - to hear.

_Baby, I'm not rich, but I know the Blacks don't have the kind of money to be buying Jake clothes that he's just going to rip apart the next time he shifts. I know it's not really any of our concern, but really, can't we get some basic stuff for him? Couldn't he use one of the other rooms on the third floor? I mean, he might need a place to go to get away from it all, and I know how comfortable he is over here, and you guys have just been so wonderful to him._

_I think... I think that things are going to get a little hairy with his dad. I mean, I don't know, but it just stands to reason that now he's like this... vampire killing machine and his dad has serious, serious issues with our family. I mean, they fought before, but now... He might need some refuge, occasionally. You know?_

"Excellent point. We'll tell Alice later on, and Esme will take care of it."

* * *

**End Note:** So what did you think of it? Do you need to go back and reread Chapter 4 in Book 2?


	10. Regardless

**Title: **Regardless**  
Author**: Sare Liz  
**Disclaimer**: Does not belong to me.  
**Continuity**: Outtake of The Day the Earth Stood Still (Daily Vampire Mating Ritual)

**Beta**: Colleen P, bless her.  
**Author's Note**: This one is one of Bella's journal entries that Edward got for Christmas.

* * *

'_Do you know how beautiful you are to me? I bet you don't. Given what I know of you, I bet you're completely oblivious. Sure, I can almost hear you saying to me, I'm a vampire. I can seduce anyone. It comes with the package. Okay, maybe you wouldn't put it quite like that. But I know you'd just put it off to something about you being a vampire. __And__ who knows? Maybe you're right. But I can't help but think, given everything you've told me already about it, that you're just a little biased. Then again, so am I; in the opposite direction. (Was that a correct use of the semicolon? I'm never quite sure. I guess I could look it up, but I really don't feel like it. Maybe later. Or maybe I'll just wait until you get around to actually reading all these little scribblings of mine, and I'm sure you'll tell me at that point.)_

'_Back__ to your beauty. You are, you know. Not many men (straight men?) can pull of being beautiful, but you are. You are not handsome, you are stunningly beautiful, entrancingly beautiful, I-stop-traffic-and-have-paparazzi-following-me-around-just-on-a-hunch beautiful, and I can't help but think that it's not all vampire. Maybe some of it. Maybe you started out a handsome young man, and then you started to blossom into a surprisingly attractive young man, and when you cleaned up nice and put a suit on you were just beautiful and your parents were so proud of you they didn't know what to do with themselves and the neighborhood girls were all tongue-tied and stupid around you and the neighborhood boys were a little jealous and annoyed, except for maybe your best friend __who knew__ you when you were covered in mud and not so clean and tidy and beautiful. But I bet it's true. I bet even then you were just beautiful. Just beautiful. And it was in those moments when you took a little extra effort that all of your natural beauty could just shine through. And maybe being a vampire just makes that easier - now you don't have to clean up nice and put on a suit. Now you can wander around in gym shorts and a tee shirt and look like some sort of teen rock star in a high school movie. Now you can come in from the rain looking like a sex dream. (Yes, every time I see you remotely wet I just want to lick all the water off. All of it. Everywhere. Okay, maybe not your hair. But I want my hands in that hair, like, stat. Anyway. Returning to the point. Where was I? Oh, yes.) Now you can come in from a hunt, or laying all night in bed with me, or having really raucous and rambunctious sex with me and you still look absolutely, perfectly, stunningly beautiful._

'_It's true though, even if you weren't, I'd love you. It's not like my love is based on the fact that you look like a Greek god carved from some sort of delightful living marble. That's just a bonus, and it's a bonus I'm not planning on ignoring, hence this journal entry. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, my Edward is Beautiful. (It's a very important adjective, so it gets some extra capitalization.) _

'_I love your jaw. Have I mentioned that before? I don't think I have. But I do. It's so sharp and strong and I love nibbling at it, all around the back curve, underneath and behind. I love it when you lift your jaw and sort of crane your neck upwards because then your jaw juts out - I mean, not weirdly or anything, but it's like... that's the moment when your jaw achieves perfect definition, and that's inevitably the point where I get a little overwhelmed because your jaw is so long and broad and my tongue is so little, and yet I sort of want to lick it all at once. A physical impossibility that I'm faced with more often than you might realize with various part of your delightful blush-worthy anatomy__._

'_Shall __I mention some of those other parts? Your fingers. Hah! I bet you didn't think I'd say that, did you? Okay, maybe you did. But maybe you didn't? Anyway, I love your hands. They are long and lean and elegant. You do such beautiful things with them. They are the hands that hold me, love me, protect me, provide for me. They are the hands that make music, the hands that bring down game, the hands that make dinner for my family, that take the hand of a Quileute young man and make a friend of him._

'_But now I've just lost myself in fantasy, imagining your long, lean limbs; the arms that cradle me and hold me softly, the legs that entwine around mine, that run so swiftly while you carry me... and it's one thing to think of your bare arms, but thinking of your bare legs inevitably leads me to thinking of you entirely bare, bared to me, bearing me, riding me and being ridden. You and your exquisitely beautiful body bring me to such an erotic, ecstatic place that I don't have words for how you fill me and fulfill me. Every word, every adjective falls utterly short for the pure joy you are in my life. You are the personification, the incarnation, the embodiment of all that is good in my world. You are the first for me, and everything else, even what is second is a very distant second. Even if (when?) we have children, and I imagine they'll be a much closer second, it simply isn't possible for me to love something more profoundly than I love you._

'_I utterly adore you. Did you know that? It's not an exaggeration. There's no need to exaggerate when the bare truth is profound enough on its own. And even when you make me mad, which... okay, it happens. I won't deny it. And I know there are moments when I make you mad, or annoy you, because you do occasionally lose your patience with me, too. But even then, I promise you and you can bank on this promise, even then I adore you. If I didn't, our misunderstanding wouldn't piss me off in the least. I'd drop it because it would be of no consequence because you would be of no consequence, but that's not the case. That's never the case. I argue, I'm mad, because I love you and I expect better - of both of us, let's be clear. Even when I lose my temper I sort of know deep down that it's not just you, even if it sort of seems that way in the moment. It's impossible for an argument to be all one person. I get that. Well, okay, I get that now. I'm learning, too. But even when I'm not feeling in that precise moment all warm and fuzzy about you because I'm too busy wishing you'd pull your head out of your ass (where it does occasionally get lodged, let's not pretend otherwise__), even__ then I love you more than I ever thought a person could love another person. I love you, Edward._

'_You're beautiful, did you know? You're beautiful on the inside. So few people get to know that. It's not something you share much with others, and I understand why. It's the little 'v' thing and the big 'V' thing and that's all very isolating. I wonder if there will ever be a time when the big 'V's will no longer be in the picture and the little 'v's will be living openly amongst the rest of us. No? Well, they do say society is changing faster and faster. What was impossible two generations ago is de riguer today and who knows what will happen in just five years, in 2011, to say nothing about twenty, forty, and sixty years from now. Sixty years is three generations, a drop in the bucket to some, and yet such change that will happen. Mark my words. It's going to blow your mind, sweetheart. Just you wait. Want to make a bet? I bet you that in two hundred years, by the year 2206, vampires will be known in the world - maybe widely known and accepted, maybe not, but known__. Let's hope__ for the family's sake that it's a positive thing. I don't think Carlisle could survive a life completely underground, without being able to practice medicine. Then again, I suppose there are always subcultures he could be helpful in. Anyway, I have no idea what to hold up as collateral for this bet. I'll think about that. But that's my bet. Want to take it?_

'_Ooo, I got off track again. Your beauty. Let's return to it. I can hear you groan from here, so just stop it. You're beautiful on the inside, did you know? It's true. You'll have to trust me on this one, and trust that I'm not lying to you. I'm still such a terrible liar anyway, you can always tell when I'm faking it. But it's true. You're sweet and kind, and it's so clear to me that I'm the center of your world. You are considerate and loving and you try so hard to meet my needs even when I'm making it difficult for you. You're so incredibly sensitive, and I love that about you. I love that you feel so deeply. It's something that's hard for me to do, and I love that it comes so easily to you. Having read your journals was so painful in a way because I watched as this beautiful, sensitive man that I adore became more and more deeply hurt by a world that seemed to have no valid place for him until his beauty and sensitivity hardened into something alien, something icy and cynical, something with impenetrable armor plating to which hope itself seemed antithetical and alien. I'm so glad that I found whatever crack there was in that armor. I couldn't have born it if somehow all of this had been one-sided. It would have been the end of me, and having never experienced love or infatuation before, I think I would have given up on it altogether at that point, and it would have been easy because nothing could have compared to you, even cold, even cut off, even cynical and hardened by the pain and suffering of the world._

'_I'd love you, regardless.'_

_

* * *

_**End Note: **What say you? Liked it? Didn't like it? Click the words below and leave me a review!


	11. The Problem with Privacy

**Title**: The Problem with Privacy  
**Author**: Sare Liz  
**Disclaimer**: Does not belong to me.  
**Continuity**: Outtake of The Day the Earth Stood Still (Daily Vampire Mating Ritual)

**Beta**: Colleen P, bless her. We love Charlie POV!  
**Author's Note**: This one takes place a month or two in from the start of DESS.

* * *

I like to think that I give a young lady the privacy she needs, but about a month or two into Bella's living with me, she asked to go camping with her boyfriend's family. As shocking as that was for me, I went with it. I knew full well what people in love would do to impress the object of their affection. At any rate, I had some camping gear in good condition in the shed, so I pulled it out and brought it up to her room for her to look at. I didn't think much of going into her room at the time - she usually keeps her door shut, even when she's not in there, but that's okay, I figured. Never dawned on me - me, the police officer - that she might be hiding something other than the obvious girl stuff. I guess I expected bras and tampons scattered around.

That room smelled like pure sex.

I dropped the duffel bag full of gear like they were hot rocks, and left. I stood in the hallway, my mind blank.

I really liked Edward, was the thing. Now that respect was warring with a desire to shoot him right between the eyes.

I took a shaky breath in and tried to assess the situation from every angle. I tried not to let my emotions get the better of me. I was better than that.

She was seventeen years old. Her mom and I were having sex at seventeen. I was kind of upset about Bella doing that, but I was also aware of my own hypocrisy. It's just that I hoped for better for my girl. Not that I'd had much of a hand in raising her, really.

But how the hell had he gotten inside her bedroom?

He either walked through the house and entered through her doorway from the hall, or he climbed in through the window. Both were unlikely, and I didn't sleep that soundly that I'd miss someone walking through my house at night. Hell, when Bella got up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, I heard it.

Come to think of it, now I was wondering if it was Bella getting up and peeing in the middle of the night.

I took a deep breath, figuring it might calm me down a bit, but it really just reminded me of the matter at hand. Okay, it had to be the door or the window. Door has a strike against it, because I think I would have heard, but maybe not. A smell this strong tells me that he was here last night, and more often than just last night. How long has this been going on? They've only known each other for a month...

_Was_ it Edward? Probably. Bella doesn't seem like she'd be anything but monogamous. Also, I'm not sure she'd have time for anyone else. She spends every waking moment with Edward and his family. Apparently she spends some of her sleeping moments with him, too. Okay, back to entry...

The window. There is a tree more or less close to the back of the house, but is it close enough? I steeled myself and walked back into the room to inspect the window. I tried it, just to see. It opened easier than any other window in the house. I checked her other one just for comparison, but it was practically painted shut. I really should see about that - come summer, she might want to get some kind of cross breeze. A crowbar and maybe some WD-40 could do the trick on that one.

I walked back to the window in question. I examined it closely. It definitely had never been forced, and had obviously been greased recently. I looked around the sill and found some dirt in a very specific pattern. It was really more like mud, and there was only a tiny bit of it, but it wasn't the sort you'd find on a windowsill that hadn't been stepped on. Edward had come in through the window, after all.

I looked out at the tree. It was a solid six feet away, if not more. Was the boy a monkey? I opened the window farther and leaned out, ignoring the light rain that hadn't dislodged the bit of mud from the inner edge of the window yet. I looked for wear and tear on the tree in the branches nearest to the window, but found none. I closed the window and left her room, but buzzed outside right after I grabbed a jacket from the hook by the door. I was anxious to look closer at that tree, but I wanted to look at the entire area, really. I approached it as if I would a crime scene.

The grass was a bit on the long side, as it sometimes got, but long and wet it was an easier indicator to get a general sense of where people had walked. There had been an awful lot of walking, and point A was underneath my daughter's window. Point B seemed to be the back of the woods at the far end of the yard.

I slowly came closer and squatted down to look and think. It was impossible to get much beyond a general impression, and it was likely that the mud came from something else that he stepped in, because it surely didn't come from the base down here, between the window and the tree. It was a thoroughly grassy area. There were some indents in the lawn, though, more so than normal, and they made me wonder. I didn't have a solid bead on them, other than to think of stilts. Could he have been using stilts? A ladder?

A ladder - that wasn't a half bad idea. He could probably keep it in the woods back there a ways, and no one would notice. If he put some felt, or cloth around the top, I might not hear it as he leaned it against the side of the house. Pretty dangerous though, to do that in the dark, and the rain, and without someone holding it steady to boot.

I examined the side of the house beneath her window, but there were no marks or indentations or chipped paint on the side. I took a good look at the tree, too. The base and all the bark looked completely normal, nothing out of the ordinary.

I went back to look at the two indents again. I looked at them from several sides, and eventually crossed out ladder in my mind. A ladder didn't make these indents, though they were shoulder width apart. They weren't the only ones, but they were the most recent. Once I started looking around, however, there were all sorts of identical pairs of indents. The only difference was that they weren't always shoulder width apart, and they weren't always parallel to the house.

An insane thought flickered through my head, but I dismissed it just as quickly as it came up. If he'd jumped quickly, from the balls of his feet on slightly soft ground and with great force - force great enough to actually get his feet on a second story window - said feet might make just such a mark. But it was a ridiculous notion, as no one could make such a jump, so I didn't entertain it for long.

I half wanted to go with the ladder theory, even though I knew it was less likely than the idea of Edward jumping up to her window. I followed the slight track through the back yard and out into the trees behind the house. There was nothing. There were no ladders, no sign of someone waiting impatiently, no garbage, no dropped items, nothing. I stood in the forest with my arms crossed over my chest and thought for a while.

Bella, 17, was having sex with her boyfriend Edward, also 17, who was in the habit of sneaking into her room at night, by way of her window. Bella already had the sex talk with Renee. Edward seemed like a very responsible young man, and came from a good family with strong morals.

Six more months and Bella would be 18 years old. Another fifteen months and she would be finished with high school. In eighteen months, she might be out of my life once again, away at college. She'd be living in a dorm, or possibly an apartment with friends or strangers. She'd be doing whatever she decided she needed to do at that point.

What do I really want?

I want Bella to be safe. After that, I want Bella to be happy. I want to enjoy the time I have with Bella before she flies the coop.

On the irrational side, can't she just hold hands with the boy? Really, I want her never to leave home, not to have sex, and in fact, never grow up. I want my little girl. Granted, she's not a little girl anymore, and hasn't been for a few years, now. I mostly missed that part, anyway.

Kids grow up. It's every parent's conundrum, I guess. On the one hand you absolutely want them to grow up, and isn't that the point of you raising them right? On the other hand, you absolutely don't want them to grow up, because maybe they'll only call on Christmas and birthdays and that's crushing because they are the apple of your dang eye.

What are my options?

I could forbid her to see him, but that seems a bit extreme, considering what I really want.

I could sit down and attempt to have a conversation about safe sex with her, but her mother's already done that. No use in beating horses, living or dead.

I could pull Edward aside at some point and threaten violence if he hurts her, or gets her pregnant and leaves her high and dry. Really, though, the boy adores the ground she walks on, and his father would be first in line to remind Edward of his responsibilities, if Edward ever needed to be reminded. Dr. Cullen was a good man, and I can't see him allowing one of his children to abandon one of theirs, not after adopting four of his own, so young.

I could bide a while and keep my peace. Maybe figure out how in blue blazes the boy gets into her bedroom window. I could talk with him a bit more when they're over. He's pretty good for a conversation if I start one, though he never intrudes if I'm feeling quiet.

Those two are going to be together for awhile though. Maybe if they play their cards right, they'll end up married, and for longer than me and Renee. I just hope to God they don't elope to Vegas.

* * *

**End Note:** Do you love Charlie POV as much as we do? Review and let me know!


	12. Robbing the Cradle

**Title**: Robbing the Cradle  
**Author**: Sare Liz  
**Beta**: Colleen, for whom Charlie is the favorite. Well, Charlie and Leah.  
**Continuity**: Outtake of DESS, Book 3, Chapter 4, Charlie POV  
**Disclaimer: **Nope, not mine.

**Author's Note**: It may be that I take advantage of my ability to write outtakes. But really, I don't care. You wanted to know what happened when Tanya all but dragged Charlie out the door right after she realized he was her mate, didn't you? Fantastic. Leave me some love, then.

* * *

What in hell is going on?

"I, uh, I really think I'd prefer to drive, if you don't mind, over the, uh, alternative, Ms... uh... Denali." I tried clearing my throat hoping that it would clear my thoughts, but nothing doing.

"Of course," came her smooth, deep voice in response. Wow. Listening to her say even the most inconsequential of things was like listening to the angels sing. I'd guess. I have to admit I don't often think of what angels would sound like singing, except you know, occasionally around Christmas-choirs of angels and what not. Always did wonder what a choir of angels would sound like. Given some of these churches around here, you'd think it'd be a battle cry or something. But anyway. She kept talking, and I reined in my rambling thoughts because singing angel or no singing angel, I didn't want to miss anything. Damn, Edward could have given me a little warning about this. "If you prefer it. I'll drive."

Holy shit that woman was beautiful. It was hard to think.

She nodded toward the Escalade that was parked next to Bella's truck and so I walked around to shotgun. When I got in, I wondered what it would be like, if it would be a replay of the somewhat uncomfortable ride over. Lord knows I liked Edward, had a deep respect for the guy, and well, I genuinely liked him. Took me a little bit of time to stop calling him 'kid' and 'boy' in my head, but that's just habit as the guy looks so young, and, well, he is posing as a senior in high school. Even so, being in that enclosed space with him just made my skin crawl. I didn't want it to crawl, it just did. His explanation made sense, and so I wondered...

I got in the cab and my skin didn't crawl. It was like something tight in my chest shifted. Shit, was I having a heart attack? Aw, hell. Now was _so_ not the time. Breathing. If I could take a full, deep breath and hold it, I was probably okay. Maybe. I tried it. Yep, full, deep breath, no problem.

Damn, she smelled good. I mean, Edward always smelled good in a sort of homey, comforting way, and I just figured it was maybe a cologne or some place he just was an awful lot, but this Tanya woman? She smelled like fruit and flowers in a way that just made my mouth water. And I wasn't feeling particularly weirded-out. Skin not crawling. So, she was probably seducing me, just like Edward had offered to do, to make the ride go easier. Edward, being Edward, had asked first. Good kid. Er, man. This Tanya gal perhaps had a few less scruples, but I suppose she might after a thousand years. But I'm not going to let it sidetrack me. Charlie Swan will _not_ be seduced and derailed by a beautiful, good smelling vampire woman.

"So. You wanna tell me what just happened back there? Why my son-in-law just sent me off on an _errand_?"

I directed her silently, pointing the way she needed to drive when she got to intersections.

"Well, yes I should, I'm just not sure how. It's not something I've ever had to explain before, but Edward did ask me to take at least thirty minutes to do it. I imagine he'll be breaking it to Bella as well."

My ears pricked up at that. "Is she in some kind of danger?"

"Oh, no. This doesn't actually have much to do with her, though I suspect she'll have an opinion about it."

"Could you please stop beating around the bush and just tell me what is going on?" I asked. I was looking at her from across the front seat of the car. We had another eight minutes or so before we got back to the house, and nearly the whole half an hour ahead of us. I figured thirty minutes was plenty of time for her to tell me what in blue blazes was happening, or had just happened.

"Of course," she said, but then paused for long enough that I thought she was waiting till we got to our destination. She started speaking again, though, and surprised me. "Um, how much has Edward, or Bella I suppose, told you about our kind in general?"

"I know maybe more than I should, but not everything, not by a long shot."

"Well that's vague," she said, but even her snippy tone was kind of... endearing? Aw, shit. I felt like this about Renee once upon a time, but that went south all too quickly. Great, now I've got some sort of stupid schoolboy crush on an ancient Russian supermodel. Fantastic, Charlie. Good job.

"You could skip the history lesson and just tell me what's going on," I pointed out.

"But if I do that and it turns out you don't understand the context, none of what I say will make sense. If it weren't for the fact that there are other pressing matters we must discuss soon, the reason we came down here, we might just let this flow along naturally, but that's no longer an option."

"Look. I've encountered a lot of weird stuff, lately. Whatever it is, just tell me. If I don't understand, explain it to me at that point. If I'm still confused, I'll ask questions. Does that seem fair to you?"

"You are disarmingly straightforward," she said quietly.

"That wasn't a yes," I pointed out.

"Yes, Mr. Swan," she said, but again added a pause so long I thought she'd stopped altogether. We were almost all the way through town. "When you walked into Carlisle's home with your daughter and my little cousin, Edward, I found something I'd given up looking for over a hundred years ago. I am one thousand and four years old, more or less. In all that time I have had many interactions with humans and vampires alike but never have I found... a man with whom I could share my life and my heart."

Huh. Clearly she meant me. I could feel the almost physical tug on my own heart, but I kept silent.

"I tried to convince Edward, when he was newborn." She laughed at herself then, just briefly. I tried to imagine Edward with anyone else, given his devotion to Bells. Nope, didn't work. "He didn't like that idea, not even slightly. I wondered at the time if he preferred men to women, or if he was just completely sexually inhibited, as was popular at the time."

Huh. Edward gay, or a prude. Not according to the amount of sex he has with my daughter. Ugh. Doesn't pay to think about that.

"But, I don't blame him. We all make our choices, and it's true, there was no spark. And then he found his mate in Bella. Do you know about that, how a vampire mates?"

"Yup." Was she going where I thought she was going with this? I pointed out my house, but when we pulled into the drive, she turned off the car and I just sat there.

"Then you know that we mate for life. No going back. And it happens... instantaneously. No mistaking it for anything else."

"Yup." She was absolutely going where I thought she was going. I was still going to make her say it, though. Words had power, and I wanted her to say the words.

"Then, Mr. Swan, you probably know what I'm going to say next. You, sir, are my mate."

Okay. She'd said it. I took the conversational lull as an opportunity to get the damn journal. She followed me out of the car and into the house. She waited inside the door as I went up into Bella's room-really, I guess, Bella and Edward's room-to get his ruse of a journal. Whatever. I guess I'm glad he gave me the privacy of finding out.

Aw, shit. Bella. She took Phil well enough as a step-father, and God knows Renee robbed the cradle with that one. But how was she going to take the idea of me and Tanya?

Not that there was a me and Tanya, of course. But given the fact that she'd just said she'd mated with me-weird, we haven't had sex yet, such a strange term-there might could be a me and Tanya and really I have no idea how Bella would take that. Not that she gave me a whole lot of warning with Edward. Course, I guess she didn't have a whole lot of warning with Edward. It just sort of happened. And quickly.

I sat down on the edge of Bella's bed and rubbed one hand over my face.

I knew that Bella planned on graduating, having a public marriage, getting pregnant, having the twins, and then at some point in the undefined but fairly near future, becoming one of them. Evolving. Whatever. Vampire. She was going to become a vampire. And then, maybe law school. Eternally young, husband, kids, in-laws, great career, whole nine yards. And Edward was going to be a musician. One imagines, the sort that isn't in the limelight a whole lot. They seem to prefer a low profile, though Lord knows they're not actually good at it, with their looks and money.

But what about me? Was I going to just have an amazing fling? I bet Ms. Denali was quite good in bed. Woman might give me heart attack for real. I'm not particularly old, but I bet I'd have to get a little something extra to keep up with her, unless I just write off the fact that I won't ever keep up with her, or satisfy her, which just doesn't seem fair. Heh, I wonder what Renee will say if I show up at the wedding with a knockout like Tanya on my arm. Aw, hell, she'd probably be happy for me, and then wonder why her energy was so strange.

Bella was going to be eternally youthful and beautiful, but I'm looking at middle age straight in the face and I have a bit of a gut going for me. I'm still in pretty good shape, but Bella often reminds me that I don't have a passing acquaintance with any sort of leafy greens, and my stamina could be a bit better, given my chosen profession. With the prospect of a gorgeous girlfriend like that, maybe I could start running, or dust off that old weight set of mine out in the shed. I bet I could just get online and look up a decent exercise regime to get rid of this budding beer belly of mine. Of course I guess I could also cut back on the Vitamin R. Protein shakes? They couldn't be all bad.

And it does bring that decision back up again. I'd do it to protect Isabella and my grandchildren. But would I do it just for me? Just because I wanted it? But do I want it? And is that was Tanya is even offering? And if she is, does she really mean it?

I guess I can trust that they really do form permanent partnerships. I've already accepted that in theory with Bella and Edward. It stands to reason that the same thing would be true with me and Tanya, if that's really what she's talking about, which it seems that she is.

Well, shit. It's a retirement option I'd never considered, I will admit. Not outside of a worst-case scenario with those Italian Mafioso guys.

Oh hell. Am I...well, are _we_ going to have that same thing that Bella and Edward have to deal with? That whole difficult-to-be-apart thing? If it's really as serious as he says, that's going to make working my sometimes long hours even more difficult. And hell, the woman lives in Alaska. That's not exactly within commuting distance.

I'm only getting older. I'm looking down the tunnel at forty next year. The big four-oh. Is she going to want to wait until I take early retirement? That's another twenty years. Hell, she will give me a heart attack by then. Or is she going to want things to go a bit more quickly along, like Bells and Edward?

I like my work. I like my job. I like the boys I work with. I like that I... you know... _do_ something. I'm productive. I'm part of the world. I'm not ready to retire, even though I joke about it with the gang. Everybody makes jokes like that.

Of course it would mean a lot more time to fish.

Aw, hell. Billy would never speak to me again. Not that we're speaking much now. Keeping secrets isn't a good way to foster friendship, but I wanted to help Jacob get along, and I never did understand his blank hatred of Edward's folk. I mean, if he wants to be prejudiced, he can do that on his own time. I guess my opinion on that doesn't need to change much. He can still be prejudiced on his own time.

What on earth would I do with myself with all of eternity to play with? Well, I guess I'd spend quite a bit of time _doing_ that young lady downstairs. Well, alright, not young. She looks young... no, she's really not young. Can't do it, not even in my head. Weird. She's so robbing the cradle with me.

The thought makes me chuckle, and like that, she's standing in the doorway to the room. I'm kind of hunched over with my elbows on my knees, but I look up at her and there she is. I could take a picture of her now, and it would look like a real photographer had posed her just so.

"There I was expecting you to be brooding and morose, but really, you're up here laughing," she said softly.

Wow, she's pretty. Pretty doesn't really cover it, of course, but I'm not the type to write odes, even in my head. But every time I glance over at her, it strikes me all over again.

I decide to stand up and face it like a man. I walk toward the door and she shifts just outside the doorway to allow enough room for me to pass. I stop just before that, though, because she allows me enough room to pass, but not without touching her. I know that power play. No thank you, not yet.

"You serious about this?"

"Very much so."

I have the almost irresistible urge to cross my arms over my chest, but I know that's a defensive stance in international body language, and I don't want to give away my hand so easily. I stand loosely instead, hooking my thumbs in my jean pockets.

"The whole nine yards?"

"If you're willing."

"Maybe," I said, and then watched her face bloom with the nicest smile you could imagine. "I guess at this point I'd normally ask you out to dinner this evening, but I think that would just be awkward for both of us."

"Yes, it would. Why don't we go for a walk, instead? This evening, once we're finished with the work of the day?"

"That sounds just fine," I said, and I was pretty sure I meant it.

* * *

**End Note: **Okay, then. Leave me some love? What did you think of it? What about how Charlie reacted? And Tanya? I know you have thoughts about this...


	13. Getting It All Out

**Title:** Getting It All Out  
**Author:** Sare Liz  
**Beta:** Colleen P.  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine.  
**Continuity: **DESS, Book 3, Chapter 5. BPOV.  
**Author's Note:** I promised myself I would not write from Bella's point of view, partially because I did not think I could make her the same character that Ms. Meyer did, and thought that would be off-putting for readers. But I found I really wanted to get in her head for this one.

* * *

I took my truck out of the drive and pulled into the street. I wasn't really sure where I wanted to go, but I just wanted to drive. For the first time since I met him, I didn't crave Edward's presence and this particular moment was one of the rare times when he wasn't around.

Neither was Charlie, for that matter.

I pushed it from my mind, locking it securely in a room in my head. No, not even a room. It didn't get to have a room to itself. It got a utility closet. Maybe a closet underneath the stairs, like the one that Harry Potter had to deal with when his family was abusing and neglecting him.

Who would that do to a person?

I let my mind wander over the inexplicability of life and fiction as I drove. The diner caught my eye and I pulled in, not sure if I was hungry or not, but maybe I could get a cup of tea, or maybe just sit in the parking lot.

That was stupid. I shouldn't just sit in the parking lot. Tea. I could go and get some tea. Maybe a cup of soup, or something.

Theresa, the waitress greeted me as I came in and slid into a chair at the counter.

"Um, what kind of soup do you have today?"

"Beef barley and vegetable noodle."

"Um, I'll... uh, take the vegetable soup. And a cup of tea, please," I said, distractedly.

"Sure thing, sweetie. I'll put that right in for you."

She put a napkin and some silverware in front of me and my tea was there before I could even really start playing with the napkin.

"That's some ring you got there, Bells."

I smiled up at her, but didn't respond otherwise.

There were sounds around me, people chatting and laughing and eating, but I felt silent and alone, and it was a good thing. Maybe. It was interrupted by the vibration of my phone in my jeans pocket. I pulled out the fancy thing and read the text message.

'_What would you like for dinner, love?'_

Well, it was better than a boldfaced 'where the hell are you?' which I sort of expected. And that was unfair of me. Edward wasn't really like that, and even if he were to say something like that, it would probably just be out of worry for me.

I texted him back, but it I wasn't particularly quick about it. I'm just not really adept at that sort of thing, and I constantly have to go back and fix spelling errors.

'_Nothing. I'm eating now.'_

I knew he'd probably want more information than that, but if he could be satisfied with less, I wasn't going to offer more. It's not so much that I was too busy thinking, but I just... I couldn't... I didn't want to be in my house, or his house. I didn't want to be reminded of mortality or immortality. I didn't want to think about Alaska or Forks or time tables or babies or an ancient succubus that might become my step-mother. And Edward wanted to talk about it. He wanted to _help. _And so I didn't particularly want to be around him right now, either.

No, that's not fair, either. I always wanted to be around Edward, but it was so convoluted and complicated. I couldn't be around Edward without knowing that he wanted to talk about Charlie and Tanya and even looking at Edward made me think of Tanya and how she'd once decided that he was good husband material, which, okay he was, but no one gets to think that but me. And now she's moved onto my father. And it's not like that, either, because she essentially imprinted on him, so it's totally unfair of me to be anything but happy for her, and if that's true, then Charlie probably feels toward her something like I feel for Edward, and how can I not respect that? I don't think Charlie's been happy like that since Renee left.

But if Charlie is feeling that way, then it's news to me. It's all business as usual at the Swan household, except that he spends two hours talking to Tanya each night. Two hours.

If I was limited to spending only two hours a day with Edward, I'd die.

So maybe it's not working like that for Charlie. Or maybe it is, and he's just not emoting, which wouldn't be the most surprising thing in the world. But what if it's not? What if he's only luke warm? What if she's mistaking the matter? Okay, that's not fair, either. Edward assures me that you can't mistake this sort of thing, and I do believe him. But what if there's something going wrong on Charlie's end? What if whatever mental powers that he seemed to genetically pass on to me are affecting this for him? What if I could only reciprocate with Edward because he had the psychic ability to climb inside my brain and get past my defenses? Tanya can't do that. What if Tanya is doomed to a one-sided mating?

And yet, Tanya isn't really my first priority. Or my second. I don't want Charlie forced into something that he isn't keen about. And while I don't think anyone could twist Charlie's arm to do something he didn't want to do, I also absolutely know that he... well, he already said this was something he'd do, if it was necessary. Charlie's sense of obligation... I think it sometimes covers more than it should. What if he decides to go for it out of a misplaced sense of obligation instead of actual love, and then he and Tanya go off, but then he gets tired of her? I'm not sure she'd take that well. Worse, what if he stays with her because he feels obligated, and then ends up living for decades and decades and maybe even centuries in misery?

My phone vibrated in my hand and I looked down at it. _'Where are you, sweetheart?'_

I could almost hear Edward ask the question gently, with no assumption or condemnation in his voice. I answered honestly.

'_The diner. And before you ask, yes you can join me.'_

My soup came a moment later. I was guessing that it would take Edward four minutes or less to get here, and that he would probably just run, given that he would assume I'd driven. This was only true if he'd been cooking at Charlie's house, of course, but it was the right day for it. If he was starting out from the Cullen Manse, then it would take longer, maybe ten minutes.

But then he was sliding into the chair at my right. I checked the time on my phone. Yep. Just under four minutes. I turned my head and met his lips as he leaned over with a questioning look on his face. When he pulled back after our chaste kiss, he spoke quietly.

"Where you timing me?"

I shrugged and nodded.

He charmed Theresa when she came for his order, and he choose a cup of coffee and the berry cobbler, but I wasn't sure I wanted to eat that. A rather unkind part of me pointed out that he could eat his own damn cover food, but I'm glad that part was behind a locked door. I wasn't always very nice, but I tried to keep it to a minimum.

Edward was uncharacteristically silent, but that was just as well. I knew that the only way to forgo his own mild version of the Spanish Inquisition was for me to just tell him what was on my mind. I took another spoonful of the soup and considered the fact that Edward and Emmett has spoiled my palate because this just wasn't very good. I also flung open the door marked 'Siberian Vampire Bitch' and let Edward in. Also, I thought about the fact that I really wasn't enjoying the soup. I was kind of hoping that we could go home and make something better, after all.

Edward fed me a bite of the cobbler. It was okay.

"You know it doesn't work like that, love," Edward remarked softly as I chewed my mouthful. I just shrugged. It wasn't like Charlie was being obvious about any affection that he may or may not be feeling about Tanya.

Also, I was starting to crave bacon. Yeah, bacon sounded really good right now. Or maybe steak. With those mushrooms and onions on top? With a side of bacon. And maybe a baked potato. Didn't usually crave bacon, but I was totally craving it now. The vegetable soup was just not cutting the mustard. I thought I wasn't supposed to have weird cravings until I was pregnant. Weird. Yeah, weird.

Edward rubbed the back of his knuckle up and down the outside of my upper arm. I was mentally debating the merits of giving into what I knew he would offer. Abandoning this meal, and after a quick trip to the grocery store he'd make me the dinner I craved. All things considered, in about 90 minutes I could be eating the food I was craving. My mouth started to water. I listlessly stirred the soup. But I wasn't really here for the food, anyway.

"You want to tell me why you're really here?" he asked, his voice soft and low as he leaned into me slightly.

I shrugged and kept stirring my soup until that lost it's appeal. The cracker I'd broken into it was getting seriously soggy. I put my cold fingers around the mug of tea, instead, and just held it.

Dad. Charlie. No, today he was Dad. Clearly, I was having a bit of a problem adjusting to the idea of him not just with a girlfriend, no, no-that wasn't it. It was him having an immortal girlfriend who was going to want him to be an immortal, too. I was feeling incredibly bitchy, and I knew I had no right to hold him back from anything he wanted to do, but I didn't like it. There. I finally admitted it to myself. And Edward, of course. I didn't like it.

Edward, I don't like it.

"If it makes you feel any better, it threw me for a loop, too," he said quietly.

I shrugged. Quick loop. Maybe that was one of the advantages of being a vampire. You react strongly, but you can get over it faster, what with the processing and all. Then I considered that a bit more. Nope. Not according to how Edward has reacted in the past. The day before Halloween is what I was considering in particular. Did not get over that quickly. When from zero to sixty before I could blink, but did not get over that quickly. Seems vampires and humans weren't so different, then. Different things affected us with different intensity. For Edward, bruising me was a much bigger deal than Tanya imprinting on Charlie.

The boy has no sense of proportionality, clearly.

When this happened with Renee, I was happy for her. I was sad, a little, because for so long it was just me and her, and we were best friends, but it was so clear that Phil was good for her. He was much younger than she was, but he was so responsible. His sense of responsibility and ambition really balanced out his youth and energy. He was... yeah. He was a well-balanced guy, and he and Renee just clicked. It was really sweet.

I know that in theory Charlie and Tanya clicked. That was the whole vampire mating thing. But it didn't seem to me that they clicked, and Charlie didn't look particularly happy about it, either, for however Tanya seemed sort of freakily star-struck in odd moments.

But that was a mean way to think, particularly from me. I'm newly mated. I should have a little compassion on the poor woman. I'm left completely awed and dazzled by Edward on a regular basis and it's all I can do most mornings to get up and go to school when every fiber of my being wants to stay in bed with him. As it is, we're not apart for more than two or three hours at a time during the day, and that's on a bad day.

And that's the crux of it, I guess. I didn't particularly like her. Charlie didn't seem particularly overwhelmed by the woman who had imprinted on him. And I was in no position to be the bitch I really wanted to be, since Charlie had been just amazing to Edward when he really didn't have to be, and I'm so, so grateful that he was.

Edward put his hand between my shoulder blades and rubbed slightly. "You don't have to like her, Bella. I had to earn your father's trust, and it didn't happen all at once. If you can only give her a chance-just decide to not hate her-then you can let her do the rest of the work."

I turned to him. Damn, he was pretty. I fielded a sudden rush of gratitude that he was mine, but I didn't let it overtake my otherwise craptastic mood. "What if I want to hate her?" I knew I was being petulant, but I was also being as honest as I could. Sometimes the two things were synonymous.

He leaned toward me so his forehead rested against mine. I closed my eyes and breathed him in. I felt myself relax.

"Why do you want to hate her?" he asked quietly, our privacy assured even in the midst of the diner.

Because she wanted you, Edward. And now she's _got_ my father, but she wanted you first, and I don't like the idea of her going through all the important men in my life until she finds the right one. And I don't like the idea of her having ever hit on you. And I really, really don't like the idea that maybe there was a part of you that was kinda okay with her attention toward you. She is, after all, like, devastatingly gorgeous.

He picked up my left hand and held it to his lips. He kissed my engagement ring.

"There is so much I want to say to you, but I can't say it here. Can we please leave, my love?"

I shrugged and went to pull out my wallet, but Edward beat me to it. He put a twenty on the counter and helped me with my coat. I handed my keys to him but he gave me a shrewd look and handed them back after a moment. I think he probably knew that I was about ready to curl up in the passenger side of the bench seat in my truck and close up everything tight, up to and including my mind.

You're a tricky one, Mr. Masen.

I think he rolled his eyes at me. In the truck, I turned on the engine to get a little heat, but I kept the truck in park. He started talking pretty much immediately.

"You need to know, Bella," he started off, sitting sideways in the seat with his left leg bent at the knee and his booted foot dangling off. I was looking at his boot. It was in immaculate condition, of course. I bet he bought new boots every season, or Alice did, either one. "You need to know," he started again, knowing I wasn't strictly focusing on his words, "that if-_if-_I had felt even the tiniest bit of anything for Tanya at any point, I would tell you so you could work through it. I would. The truth is that I've never felt anything for her. I've held her in contempt more often than not, though it shames me to admit it. She is as physically attractive as any one of us, but I knew what she was thinking all along. She never really wanted me. She didn't bother to get to know me, either. She found me attractive enough and she was really, really tired of being alone and without a mate. She wasn't particularly upset when I declined her offer, though every time our two families met she would inquire as to whether or not I'd changed my mind.

"Bella, I don't remember much about my life before I was changed. I know my family was fairly affluent. I know I very much wanted to join the army and fight in the war. I know I thought the world of my mother. I know my father was a lawyer. I don't know if I had a sweetheart, though I like to think I would have remembered if I did. But I do know this, Bella. And you need to listen well to this part. From 1918 until the day I saw you in the cafeteria, I lived a completely chaste and celibate life. More than that. I never felt remotely attracted to anyone. I did not desire. I did not crave. I did not lust. Maybe it was because I could hear their thoughts before they could even see me and was turned off by them before I could even be turned on. I don't know the reason. I just know that it's true. Rosalie thought I was gay. Esme thought I'd been turned too young. Neither one of them was right. I just hadn't met you, yet.

"And when I met you, you changed everything."

I nodded and reached a finger to trace a line of stitching on his boot. I knew that. I'd read his journals. I really had changed everything. I, or this relationship we were in, maybe.

"You're everything to me, Isabella. And I love you just as much as you love me."

My eyes flicked up to his and I smiled a small smile of concession just before I nodded. I glanced up at him again and gave him the mental come hither.

Get over here, you.

His kiss was sweet and soft and I sighed into it. Kissing Edward was always full of win, really. His tongue was silk and-then we were interrupted by a knocking on the window.

I turned around to see Charlie standing there with one eyebrow raised. I quickly rolled the window down, sending a silent thanks to Rosalie that I was able to do so.

"In the parking lot of the diner? Really?" he said with no preamble. He had his hands on his hips, which was actually a pretty intimidating stance when he was in uniform, as he was at present.

"We had to work some stuff out," I said vaguely. "Um, can we... um, talk... tonight? Do you think you could maybe come home a little early?" I wanted this conversation to be without Jacob, Leah, or Tanya present.

"I've been wondering when this was going to happen." He nodded. "Sure. How 'bout I shoot for four o'clock?"

"Okay."

"Edward, you gonna be around?"

I glanced back at him and shrugged. Edward looked to me, and then to Charlie before he responded. "If you'd like me to be, I can be. Otherwise I can make myself useful in the kitchen, or completely scarce if you prefer."

"Nah, I got a few questions for you, if that's alright."

I never thought about that, but it made sense. Of course Charlie would have questions for Edward. Really, Edward or Carlisle, since after a few fishing trips the two had bonded pretty well, but Edward was more convenient.

"So," Charlie started again. "What's for dinner? Or have you already eaten, now?" he asked, glancing over to the front door of the diner and back again.

"Steak and potatoes with a side of bacon," Edward answered.

"A side of bacon?" Charlie asked.

"A side of bacon," Edward confirmed.

"You still okay with Tanya coming over tonight?"

I nodded.

"Alright. And ixnay on the PDAs, okay? You need to make out, take it indoors."

I briefly wondered if the middle of the diner would be a better locale, but decided not to ask. I nodded again, instead.

I rolled up my window and turned the key in the ignition. As I pulled out of the parking space, Edward scooted over and put his hand on my leg, just above my knee.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked gently.

I nodded. The worst had passed, I think. I still didn't _like_ her, but I could now at least admit to the fact. And I could also admit to the fact that Edward had never been tempted by what she'd offered him. And I could admit that she probably was a perfectly fine person with her very own list of redeeming qualities. I just didn't know what they were, yet.

"Thank you for coming and finding me."

"Always, love. I'm sorry I pushed so hard that you felt the need to escape."

It reminded me of the day before Halloween. Oh, how the roles had been reversed, today.

* * *

Hello! I missed you, too! Lots of things have been happening, and one of them is that you can now find me and my stories (the non-fanfiction ones) on Amazon! So go and search for me there: Sare Liz Gordy :) I look forward to hearing of your reaction to this outtake, and also to my new story on Amazon. :) See you there!


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